Marked For Greatness
by For You Blue
Summary: A look into young Theta Sigma dealing with the events following his shocking encounter in the Cloisters and his destiny forever changed, the road to becoming The Doctor. (Updated 21st August: Chapter 4 is now posted.)
1. I

**Summary** :

A look into the life of the early years of The Doctor. From the wide-eyed Theta Sigma of the Time Lord Academy to the young First Doctor's early steps on his remarkable journey.

A/N: This is a re-upload and a more polished, better quality version.

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who._

* * *

 **Marked For Greatness**

* * *

 **I**

* * *

 _ **T**_ _hete!" A reprimanding, loving voice called up after her only child._

" _Son, mind your mother, don't climb up nearly so high without us."_

 _The sharp pair of blue eyes, (half-hidden under a mop of straight, dark blond hair,) turned back to regard his parents._

 _Designation Theta Sigma's mother, Penelope Gate, pale and beautiful, clad in a simple white shirt and a pair of tan breaches, was the parent closest to her son. The woman's long, red hair was braided around her head and her blue eyes were set upon Theta with a soft smile._

 _Close behind Penelope on the winding mountain path, was a tall, brown haired, bearded man, with sharp, hawk-like brown eyes that regarded the world with the same expression as his son, abet with greater wisdom than his youngest son yet possessed._

 _Ulysses was an impressive sight, like the statues in the Earth museums of their Greek heroes._

 _He adored his alien wife, and was lovingly strict with their biological son. Ulysses exasperation regarding his son had abated slightly, ever since Theta managed to pass the examinations to study to become a Time Lord two days previously._

 _Theta knew why. His father had been so nervous that the alien blood his son bore would be dangerous and wouldn't allow him to become a Time Lord, despite the arguments of Theta's grandfather that he would be just fine._

 _Out of concern, Ulysses would have been much happier to see Theta stay at home, and then join the army, as the Time Tots who didn't pass the examination and the drylander children often did._

 _Theta had observed his father several times late at night in his study, (peering unnoticed from behind the half-open door,) pouring over Theta's examination results with a furrowed brow of concern. As a consequence, Ulysses was constantly monitoring his son's behaviour in the year till he was due to attend the Academy…where Theta would live for the next few decades till he transferred to the Prydonian Chapter as an adolescent._

 _Secretly, Theta was petrified. He'd never lived with anyone other than his parents and occasionally his older half-brother, Irving, (who was already at the Prydonian Chapter.) and their various cousins._

 _The eight-year-old Time Tot also knew he wouldn't be able to visit his family home until he moved to the Prydonian Chapter, and that also during this time, his contact with his beloved mother would be severely limited to distant communications. And short visits during celebration periods._

 _Theta wondered if it was his Sol-3 half that made him so afraid and so emotional. Penelope had told him to be proud he wasn't the stoic Time Lord his loomed cousins were. Ulysses had always be different from the rest of his family. The Prydonian Chapter was filled with oddities amongst the Time Lord race._

 _Perching himself atop of a rock to wait for his parents, Theta folded his arms as he looked down into the green grass filled valley with a frown. Penelope caught up to her son first and sat down beside him, resting her hand on his shoulder with a sigh._

" _My little Thete…it's going to take me time to remember to call you that, my darling." Penelope placed a kiss atop Theta's head, the boy leaning against his mother, but his expression not changing from it's frowning state._

" _You've been so serious ever since you came back from the Gallifrey_ _Capitol_ _."_

 _Ulysses joined his wife and child, sitting on the other side of Theta with a deep sigh. "The Untempered Schism often leaves the Time Tots with a personality change." He glanced over Theta's head at Penelope._

" _When his hormones kick in in the next few decades, he'll settle back down."_

 _Theta scowl deepened, "I'm right here, Father, don't talk like I'm not." He bowed his head. "Koschei didn't look well, he wouldn't stop screaming…his father said he was okay now."_

 _Ulysses patted his son's shoulder gently, "You were very brave, my son. Not so many Time Tots handle the Untempered Schism so well–"_

" _Well?" Theta looked up at his father in disbelief. "I ran away!"_

 _Cocking his head to the side, Ulysses smiled in reassurance. "But you still looked, you still accepted and you came straight back to me after you ran away. You made me proud." He squeezed Theta's slender shoulder._

" _And I know you will continue making me proud at the Academy."_

 _Ulysses got to his feet, "We should continue on if we want to catch sunset from our usual spot." He walked on ahead, while his son and wife remained seated, gazing out over the valley._

 _Penelope stroked her son's hair, "You could stay with your father and I, Thete…"_

 _Theta hugged his mother, "I'm a Time Lord in training now, Mother. I can't let Father or Grandfather down," he pulled back and nodded. "I'll be a Time Lord. I want to make the galaxy better. I want to make Gallifrey and the Time Lords better."_

 _Gazing down at her precocious son, Penelope let a small, sad smile pass her lips, "How do you intend to do that, little one?"_

 _Theta looked serious, "I want to make them more accepting of other alien species, to stop looking down upon them, like they do with you, Mother." He pulled his small backpack around to his front and opened it up, pulling out a crudely carved, wooden horse. "I made this for you."_

 _Penelope's eyes widened as she took the wooden horse in her hands, "Is this the Trojan Horse?" She questioned knowingly, as Theta nodded slowly, allowing his mother to pull him into a tight hug. "It's beautiful, darling. It look just like its described by Virgil."_

 _Mother and son stayed in that loving embrace for a few moments, before Penelope pulled Theta back with a concerned expression._

" _My son, don't forget above all, you are unique. You are not another brick in the wall for the Time Lord race. Push the boundaries, make them remember you. Show them they can be better, that there is a better way…"_

A hard object collided with a soft thump against Theta Sigma fair haired head, almost knocking the seventy-nine-year-old, Prydonian Chapter Time Youth off of the tree branch he'd been dozing upon.

Picking up from his lap the offending object that had hit him in his head, Theta observed the oval shaped, dark grey rock with a frown. Hearing a sharp laughter from below, Theta glared down at the culprit of both the laughter and presumably the rock.

"What are you doing up there, Thete?" The dark haired Time Youth called up. "Daydreaming about Lady Glymtheria again? You know she only plays a Time Lady in the hologram entertainments, she's really just an ordinary Gallifreyan in real life, called Prunell Glopthorpe."

Throwing down the rock back in the direction of his best friend, who jumped aside to avoid it and the projected object landed harmlessly on the nearby ground with a soft thud, Theta put his hands behind his neck as he lent back against the tree-trunk, "So what? And no, Koschei," he blinked his large blue eyes as he stared out at the late-afternoon, binary Gallifreyan suns.

"I was thinking of the last time I was with my father."

Koschei furrowed his brow, "I see. That was the day before your father was exiled. He didn't tell you he was going into exile, did he?" He remembered, folding his arms as he lent against the side of the base of the tree trunk.

Theta shook his head as he closed his eyes. "No. He didn't." He confirmed, opening up his eyes to look down at Koschei, who had snorted in response.

"Real nice family you've got there, Thete. Exiled father, an older brother who hasn't spoke to in decades, and cousins who dumped you off for a year to live with Drylanders in an orphanage. Not to mention a paternal grandfather, who was coincidentally assigned our mentor, and yet didn't bother to lay any claim on you for nearly four decades."

Sighing, Theta flipped off of the branch and landed neatly on his nimble feet. "At least I get to spend the celebration periods entirely away from the Academy now. Though it's almost as bad as having to spend them partially at your parents residence." He shuddered at the thought of the cold, formal atmosphere of Oakdown, where he was treated very coolly by the majority of Koschei's family, with the exception of Koschei's father.

Of course, Koschei, being Koschei, would ignore his family and promptly defend Theta against them, but Theta was glad his grandfather and mentor had finally admitted to their relationship. Even if the celebration periods were mostly spent in study of non-complying subjects, such as Old High Gallifreyan and the ancient scrolls of Omega.

Theta didn't mind, this meant there was less time spent in Lungbarrow. Borusa had chosen a life in the Academy to escape the house, and he would never attend the Otherstide celebrations in the ancient mansion.

However, the Kithriarch of Lungbarrow, (whom Theta affectionately called Quences,) made it no secret he adored his youngest cousin, and insisted on the 'brilliant boy' returning to his ancestral home once a year now that Borusa had custody of him.

Naturally Borusa didn't like the way Quences spoilt Theta. In fact, much to Borusa's disdain, for Theta's sixtieth birthday, the slightly senile old Time Lord had bought the Time Youth an insane present, a striped avatroid, whom Theta had given the name: Badger.

Though only the size of a Great Dane puppy on it's hind legs at the present moment, the creature would eventually grow to be over seven feet tall and have a pair of mighty tusks, and equally impressive curled horns.

Theta, naturally, thought he was absolutely marvellous, although most of the Academy was already wary of Badger, (except for Ushas, of course.) who was only really affectionate to Theta, and, strangely, also insisted his affections upon Borusa. Of whom barely tolerated Badger, but didn't have the gumption to ignore him, like he did the rest of Theta's menagerie of animals.

Along with the avatroid Badger, there was Solis the flubble and her mate, Noir, an entire family of cobblemice and another of rovies, (half of which were rescued from Ushas' experiments.) two Sol-3 native cats, Alpha and Beta, (the only animals Koschei liked,) and lastly, Theta's beloved, riding vortisaur, Perseus. (Who was housed just outside of the Academy in the riding stable.)

Peruses had been the only animal Borusa had bought for Theta. Vortisaur riding was considered a skill that not many Time Lords could master. But seeing how his grandson had taken to riding them, like a fish to water, Borusa had bought him one for his fiftieth birthday, naturally to show up his peers, of course.

(Although Borusa still would have had a fit if he'd caught Theta riding the wild ones bareback, as he was wont to do often enough, showing off to his thoroughly impressed classmates.)

Borusa's 'Deca' class had been given the reputation by the other senior classes at the Academy, as mad-house crossed with a zoo, not just in referral to the collection of animals, either. Most of the Mentors would resort to clucking their tongues, citing nepotism in the way Borusa let his grandson and friends run wild.

(Looking back on his time in the Academy, many years later, The Doctor realised Borusa had been running his class as an experiment for the ninety decades he would have his students, first as their mentor, then as their tutor. For what purpose, The Doctor could only surmise it was purely for power sake alone, biding his time until his hand-picked, rather brilliant, as well as creative and anti-establishment, students would start to mess with the status quo of the Time Lord society.

Not to mention something buried in the prophecies, that Borusa had refused to discuss with his grandson for years, which would lead to many dark turns in The Doctor's life and their eventual estrangement.

But that was centuries from the current awkward Time Youth and his dominating paternal grandfather Mentor. At the moment it was a stand-off between the only immediate family who would, or could, be Theta's guardian, and the Academy student, who was still a lost little boy.)

The two Time Youths walked slowly, side-by-side, across the red, grassy field, winding their way back towards the Prydonian sector of the Academy in relative silence. The wind was beginning to pick up and whip the crimson coloured robes of both teenagers about them as they walked.

Despite both having the close-cropped hairstyle, (semi-enforced upon the male Time Youth students of the Prydonian chapter,) both Koschei and Theta were still quite in contrast to one another.

Koschei was already well built for his age, broad, tanned and dark haired, his dark blue eyes full of the cunning and defiance that already made him enemies amongst most of his peers. (His only friend really being Theta, as it had been since they were born, practically, as their fathers had also been friends since they were Time Tots, and arranged family gatherings were often.)

Theta, meanwhile, was still as skinny and awkward as he had been his whole sixty years. Slightly shorter than Koschei (at about 5'5.) Theta's large, light blue eyes stared out succinctly at the world around him. Theta's shy nature, very much in contrast to his braggart best friend, surprised most who encountered them together. Theta only really becoming talkative once he'd known someone for a long time.

Because Theta's studiousness was often balanced by his occasional willingness to do something exceptionally brave, like ride wild vortisaurs bareback, he had endeared himself to many of his fellow students, and especially with the majority of the members of Deca.

"Borusa sent me out here to find you." Koschei raised his voice slightly, to be heard over the top of the rising wind. "I thought you'd be in the vortisaur stables."

Theta folded his arms across his chest, "I was. I came out here afterwards to think." He looked aside at his best friend. "Koschei, have you ever had the feeling something is watching you? Just waiting for the right moment to spring upon you?"

Koschei raised his left eyebrow as they arrived at the red paved path, that lead back into the Academy grounds, "How do you mean?"

Shaking his head, Theta lowered his gaze to look down at his tan, suede boots, "I've been feeling odd for the past few months. I haven't been sleeping well. I keep dreaming about my parents, and about my early Time Tot-hood." He admitted. "Not just on Gallifrey, either, also when we were on Sol-3."

There was a pause in the conversation, as they nodded in greeting to the two guards outside of the Academy gate, before Koschei spoke up as they passed through the massive, ancient, arched gateway, bearing the huge, gold disc of the Seal of Rassilon.

"Do you think maybe your father was exiled to Sol-3? That's why you're picking up a connection to the planet?"

Theta looked sharply over at his perceptive friend as they crossed the empty courtyard, and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's possible. My Father spent so much time on Sol-3, studying anthropology mostly, it's very possible they sent him there in exile. Borusa still won't tell me." He revealed quietly.

Climbing up the grey-white, Prydonian mountain marble staircase that lead to the main entrance, Koschei shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe he will one day. Maybe your father wanted you to finish your training to be a Time Lord before you know where he is. I know you, Thete." The Time Youth halted his friend, mid-way up the staircase.

"You would want to see him. I'm not saying you'd do something foolish, because that's not you. But you've been lonely, and you may resent Borusa enough to try and find a way to contact him."

Theta ran his hand over his short-cut hair and lowered his gaze. "I don't think I would, Koschei. Even if I did know where they were, I wouldn't disobey the law. Like you said, I'm not foolish. I'm not a risk taker." He mentioned. _I'm not my Father_ , Theta added silently to himself.

Koschei sighed heavily as he put his arm around Theta's shoulders, leading them up the last few stairs to the crimson coloured, heavy wooden door enclosed entrance to the Prydonian Chapter building.

"Sometimes you are, Theta. Like when you go running off alone, or go on your ridiculous bareback vortisaur riding escapades. But these are things you've done most of your life, you have to be pushed to try anything new, and I can't remember the last time I heard you laugh."

Theta rubbed his eyes, looking out ahead at the opulent, red and gold marble entrance-way of his schooling location for the past thirty years, his gaze trailing upwards towards the arched ceilings, held up by massive, flourished, carved dark coloured wooden pillars. Theta couldn't help but think back on his primary school, so much more simple and less imposing.

The High School sector of the Prydonian Academy seemed determined to remind its young students of the grave, seriousness awaiting them in the University sector.

Borusa had dragged his grandson to the aforementioned University sector a few weeks ago on business, allowing Theta to explore the grand, heavily windowed and gilded building, which had awed the young Time Youth.

"I don't need to try anything new, Koschei, and laughter is for those who are truly happy. At the moment, I'm under too much pressure from Borusa to succeed in my studies, and far too busy for anything else." Thete pulled away from Koschei's one armed embrace.

"I'll see you later in the common room."

"Right." Koschei replied simply, watching his long-time friend move quickly across the expansive, polished, marble floored entrance hall, folding his arms across his chest. "Right."

-:-:-:-

Frowning over a large, gilded, brown leather-bound tome, resting on the bronze coloured lectern in front of him, Mentor Borusa turned the page of the hand written, illuminated manuscript with a furrowed brow as he muttered the text out-loud.

"… _I shall walk again amongst my fellow Time Lords. For there will come a day when they call to me, and I will graciously answer their pleas. Although, there is one who will live at that time, a warrior Time Lord, like those of our past, who will openly defy my will. He will, however, despite his defiance towards I, aid our people. But, his aid will come at a cost. For in his wake, there is something that will come to stand in the ruins of Gallifrey. This creature will be born of two races, and this warrior Time Lord knows their name_ —"

There was a single knock on Borusa's office door and he walked over to his desk to press the comm button. "Yes?"

" _It's Theta."_ An adolescent male voice, just starting to settle into it's deeper tone, answered swiftly.

The middle-aged Prydonian Time Lord pressed the entrance button, next to the comm button, on his desk panel. The silver door slid across and Borusa's youngest grandson strolled into the sparsely decorated, red carpeted office.

Filled with mostly bookshelves, there was a painting of Rassilon in the far corner and a large, arched window next to it, that looked out over the grand courtyard. Theta's favourite part of the office was, however, the small series of portraits of his grandfather with Theta's father and aunt, Ulysses and Flavia. The portraits showed Ulysses changing from a fair-haired, slender youth, to the tall, brown haired figure of his second regeneration that Theta knew from his Time Tot-hood.

Borusa watched with an observing stare as Theta sat down on the plush chair opposite the desk. _He does looks a little like Ulysses at the same age in his first regeneration, the same hair and the same nose, but that pale complexion, wide mouth and light blue eyes are like Penelope..._

"Koschei said you were looking for me." Theta spoke up, interrupting his grandfather's musing.

Nodding, Borusa sat down on his chair behind the desk, eye-to-eye with his grandson and student. "Yes. You know the celebration period commences tomorrow." He clasped his hands together and rested them on his desktop. "You will be accompanying me to the Capitol."

Theta blinked his eyes in surprise, "Why?"

Borusa looked solemn. "You know I have full intentions of returning to politics once you have graduated to Time Lord status, Theta. As you know, I wish for you to also pursue a career in politics. I've been granted a request to have you accompany me to the Panopticon."

Nodding, Theta looked down at his hands, clasped tightly and resting on his lap, "Is that all?" He questioned.

More than little concerned now, Borusa leaned back in his high-backed chair, and took a moment to take a closer observation the grandson he had custody of.

Theta was slightly paler than usual, there were large, dark circles under his eyes, and he looked almost utterly exhausted. It was quite unlike the usually energetic, if quiet, Time Youth, who was only a year away from Junior Time Lord status.

 _Already? Time flies._ Borusa thought to himself. _Although I'll likely change from Mentor to Tutor for the Deca when they move to the University, so it's not like I'll be seeing less of the boy._

"That is everything," the elder Prydonian finally responded, pressing his fingers together and resting them against his lips. "Is there anything you wish to talk to me about, Theta?"

The head shake was a little to quick for Borusa's liking, but he said nothing as Theta got to his feet.

"No, Grandfather." Theta addressed him as they did in private, amongst his classmates he called Borusa: 'Mentor Borusa' as the rest of the Deca did.

"All right." Borusa nodded. "You can leave."

Theta inclined his head and headed towards the office entrance, the silver door slid across and the crimson robed Time Youth slipped out, leaving his grandfather to quiet contemplation as the door closed behind him.

"I wonder sometimes if I did the right thing." Borusa murmured to himself, running his hand through his short-cut, greying fair hair. _I could have intervened with Ulysses' exiling, but then I might not have such close watch of the boy._ He folded his arms.

 _I've no doubt Ulysses would have intervened and not allowed to pass what need to happen. He's not much like myself…nor even his mother. Ulysses has grown to care too much, a trait I blame on his second wife…I worry Theta might have that same inborn tendency. He does love his animals, and still cares for the Drylanders who had a hand in raising him._

"That's your own fault, Borusa." The middle-aged Time Lord chided himself. "You should have taken in the boy sooner, but you wanted to watch and see if the prophecies were correct." He looked aside at the leather-bound tome he'd been perusing prior to Theta's arrival.

 _I wonder if even now I was right. There's nothing about Theta that seems outright rebellious in the slightest, nor warrior-like, and certainly not a madman. Perhaps I should just be contented that the future seems to have changed…_

-:-:-:-

 _Women with brown eyes. This was the shade that made his heart leap to his throat, though he wasn't quite sure why. There were other eyes belonging to other women that turned to him, eyes of blue, green…but the women with brown eyes…brown eyes made him want to laugh, and cry, and scream in loss…_

" _Then what should I do?"_

 _Theta heard a man's voice he didn't know, then one of the women, the one with the largest pair of brown eyes, and features the most hazy, spoke up._

" _What you've always done. Be a…"_

Theta woke up with a startled gasp, his head was tilted backwards and he locked it back into place as he stared across the plush, Citadel capsule over at his startled grandfather, who lowered the tome he'd been reading.

"Are you quite all right, Theta?" Borusa, dressed in his elaborate, crimson and orange and robes of state, (complete with the high arching collar with the symbols of Rassilon on either shoulder, and skullcap placed upon his head,) addressed his grandson with genuine concern.

Theta nodded shakily, taking in a deep breath. "I'm all right. I just dozed off." He forced a small smile to his grandfather and folded his arms into his wide sleeves of his Junior Time Lord robes of state.

His current clothing had been gifted to him that morning by Borusa. Usually, the Junior Time Lord robes of state would be granted when a Time Youth turned eighty and reached young adult status, but, as Borusa was intending to keep Theta as an apprentice in the Council chambers, he needed to be properly outfitted for the role.

The Junior Time Lord robes of state were virtually identical to Borusa's, except Theta only donned a skull cap and wide, sleeveless orange mantle over his shoulders. The shoulder gracing collar would be granted to him when he attained full Time Lord ranking, replacing the mantle.

Borusa had been proud as a flubble as they'd strolled through the Academy on their way to depart for the Citadel, though Theta had been completely embarrassed as he tailed beside his grandfather, his ears tinged red.

Earlier that morning in the common room at breakfast time, Koschei, Magnus and Ushas didn't help matters, approaching their friend with mock congratulations, and tugging on the mantle, Ushas asking if she might borrow the skullcap for a feeder for her rovies.

Vansell, of course, the first to scold them, saying that at least Theta was already making something of himself, but he was quickly knocked down by Magnus with a smirk.

Millennia and Rallon stood by Theta, and shooed away the three troublemakers.

" _Leave him alone, or you'll have me to answer to!"_ Rallon, towering and imposing, eyed down the rest of the Deca, as he rested his arm on the much shorter Time Youth's shoulder.

Both Rallon and Millennia were very fond of Theta, and Rallon had long been defending Theta against the much more aggressive members of the Deca, even having to step in between him and Koschei sometimes.

Nodding her blue haired head, Millennia also rested her hand on Theta's shoulder. " _Shame on all of you. Especially you, Koschei. What kind of a best friend are you?"_

Looking only slightly chastened, Koschei folded his arms, " _I'm only jesting. There's no need to rush in to protect Thete like he's a Time Tot. And what right do you have? Thete and I have known each other practically all our lives. Honestly…you know I was joking, Thete, don't you?"_

Jelpax snorted, as he and Drax had shoved Magnus away, helping Vansell to his feet. " _How is he suppose to tell when you're joking or insulting him, Koschei? You're prone to doing both all the time!"_

Luckily Borusa had arrived in the common room before Koschei and Jelpax could turn their stand-off into a scuffle. Rallon had been ready to pin down Koschei to help Jelpax, and Ushas threatening to unleash her mutant rovies on him if he dared.

Magnus was laughing his head off at the chaos, slapping Drax's back so hard in his mirth, that the other Time Youth had the breath knocked out of him, leaving the rest of the Deca to go back to their breakfast with knowing a shake of their heads.

Theta almost rolled his eyes. After over seventy years of knowing his classmates, and over thirty of sharing close quarters with the Deca, they knew each other too well, which was starting to breed contempt, and lines were more clearly drawn in the stand.

Looking down at his robes, the mark of a Junior Time Lord of the Prydonian Chapter, Theta knew this was a turning point, and he should be feeling that way. But there was something else that seemed to be overshadowing his impeding young adulthood…something strange.

Theta could almost sense something radiating from the approaching Panopticon, (set upon the imposing tower he could already see from the windowed shuttle.) a feeling of arrival, a feeling beyond attaining a new position in life.

The Time Youth couldn't shake that feeling's impression upon him, that more than one thing awaited him in the Capitol. Things that would lead to far greater turning points in his life than merely donning robes of state.

Borusa peered over the top of his tome to look over at his grandson, staring out of the window with a wistful look on his face, the Jurist sighing as he went back to his book.

 _He's still such a boy…_

-:-:-:-

The crowded Panopticon was filled with bustling Time Lords and Ladies of politics, colourful robed figures from all chapters murmuring and discussing issues, both personal and political.

Forcing himself not to blush, Theta became keenly aware of the curious eyes turning upon him as he tailed behind his grandfather, his hands folded into the wide sleeves of his robes and his gaze staring ahead.

"Ah! Flavia, my dear." Borusa called out suddenly in greeting.

Theta looked over to see his tall, graceful, fair-haired aunt, dressed in the Prydonian robes of state, (but, like most Time Ladies often did, went without the skullcap.) who turned away from her conversation with a Patrex Time Lady, and strolled over to clasp her father's arms in greeting, smiling as Borusa leaned over to kiss her forehead.

"Father." Flavia greeted, before she turned to Theta. "Oh, this can't be my little nephew in junior robes of state!" She exclaimed, clasping her brother's son's arms in greeting, the two of them eye-to-eye. "Tell me you aren't Theta, you can't possibly have grown up this quickly!"

A wide smile passed over Theta's face at Flavia's exclamations. "It's me. But I'm still only seventy-nine, Aunt Flavia." He assured her. Theta loved his aunt, who was twin sister to Ulysses, and shared some of the teasing nature of her brother.

Flavia placed a kiss on her nephew's forehead, "That's still too far grown-up for my liking." She linked her arm through Theta's and guided the Time Youth across the Panopticon floor.

"At least this way we can see each other in person more often. You will be bringing him here even after the celebration period, won't you, Father?" Flavia turned her braided haired head to address Borusa, who was following after his daughter and grandson.

"It is my intention, provided it doesn't interfere with his studies." Borusa smiled indulgently. "But Theta is such a dedicated student, I should imagine nothing should convince me otherwise."

Flavia patted her nephew's arm, "Well good. I should hope to see our Theta graduate highly decorated, and then gain a good job, hopefully here in the Capitol. Then maybe settling down with the right partner as he rises through the ranks of politics, and then giving his old aunt some great-nieces and nephews to spoil." She nudged the Time Youth playfully, and Theta blushed at the thought.

Borusa looked slightly put out. "There's plenty of time for all of that, and certainly not any time before Theta is well into his hundreds." He scolded his daughter. "Besides, Theta hasn't any time, nor shown any interest, in courting right now."

Flavia looked over at her nephew, who nodded in acknowledgement.

"I'm really far to busy to think about courting, Aunt Flavia." Theta confirmed, and his aunt inclined her head.

"Of course, Theta. But you know your grandfather doesn't think of these things." Flavia patted Theta's arm again. "I tell you what, whenever you're ready to start courting, I shall have a list of eligible young partners. Is that fine with you, Father?" She questioned her parent.

Borusa sighed, "Whatever would please you, daughter." He conceded, and Flavia gave a satisfied smirk in response from within her gold-lace edged collar, reaching over to straighten Theta's mantle.

"Do you know my friend, The Corsair, was asking me about you the other day, Theta," Flavia mentioned, her eyes twinkling as she rested her hands on her nephew's shoulders. "He's back on planet and I must take you to see him. How old were you the last time you met?"

Theta rubbed the back of his neck, "Oh…twenty? I think? Didn't I want to run away with him as his assistant?"

Borusa frowned heavily and put his hand firmly on Theta's shoulder. "Oh no, not _that_ Time Lord. You keep him away from Theta and out of my sight, Flavia. I don't know what is with you and your brother inviting trouble, but—"

"Jurist Borusa!" A booming voice called out, cutting off Borusa mid-sentence.

The Jurist in question, his Inquisitor daughter, and startled grandson, looked over at the white robed, tall, dark haired, bearded Time Lord, wearing a distinct gold collar, approaching them through the parting crowd.

The white and gold robed Time Lord was flanked by two Chancellery guards, one of them more gaudily dressed than the others, presumably the Castellan.

"My Lord President Jostin," Borusa bowed his head in greeting, as did Flavia and Theta.

The President of Gallifrey clasped Borusa's arm in greeting, "It is good to see you again." Jostin's eyes fell on Theta and the Time Youth bowed again. "Oh enough of that, young man, please." The President implored and Theta obediently straightened.

"This must be your youngest grandson, Borusa." Jostin observed knowingly.

Borusa inclined his head. "Indeed. Designation Theta Sigma of the House of Lungbarrow. Currently my student at the Academy," he introduced, and the President took the Time Youth's arm, smiling down at him.

"You have grown, young Theta. The last time I saw you was during the Untempered Schism ceremony, you were with your father." Lord Jostin mentioned.

"Your father and I were in the same class at the Academy, but he was always far more scientifically inclined than I was. Do you wish to pursue politics, like your grandfather?"

Theta inclined his head, "That is my grandfather's wish." He answered simply, and Lord Jostin nodded his head in approval.

"Good then." The President of Gallifrey glanced behind him. "I should think the company of us older folk will be tedious for too long," Jostin smiled kindly back at Theta. "My daughter is here today. You might not remember her, Theta, but she is your age. She's in the Prydonian Chapter at the Academy also, abet in a different study area than you."

Turning behind them, Jostin gestured with his right, gloved hand, "Melialeirionmoria, will you come here? There's someone I wish to introduce you to."

Gliding through the crowd was a petite, lithe figure, clad in the female Time Youth robes of the Prydonian Academy High School sector. The teenage girl's dark, almost black, hair was braided and loped about her ears. Large brown eyes were deep-set in her lightly tanned features.

The female Time Youth walked with a seemingly effortless grace, and Theta felt a little jolt of intrigue as he watched her approach. Even if he'd met Melialeirionmoria before, he was not sure if he'd ever laid eyes on the young woman version of her.

Melialeirionmoria flashed a small smile as she inclined her head in greeting to the elder Time Lords, before turning her gaze on the Theta, who stood around three inches taller than her.

"Theta, this is my daughter, Melialeirionmoria, she is studying medicine. My dear, this is designation Theta Sigma of the House Of Lungbarrow. You met as Time Tots, and I do not know if you've interacted since." Jostin introduced.

Holding out her hand, Melialeirionmoria bowed her head to Theta. "It's nice to meet you again."

Taking Melialeirionmoria's soft hand, Theta bowed over it and straightened, locking his blue eyes with that sharp brown gaze. "It is also nice to see you again." He responded stiffly, trying to ignore the sudden onset of growing interest in the other Time Youth.

"Melialeirionmoria, why don't you take young Theta Sigma on a tour of the Triumvirate Gardens, and then go find something else interesting for the two of you to preoccupy your time, until I send for you both." Jostin requested.

Inclining her head, Melialeirionmoria motioned ahead and Theta followed the young woman through the crowd of politicians.

Melialeirionmoria leaned in close, whispering to Theta as they travelled across the Panopticon floor. "Walk quickly. We want to get out of here fast. Well, I know _I_ do, at least. You're probably _so_ fascinated by all this political mumbo-jumbo talk, aren't you?"

Theta looked over at his fellow Time Youth in surprise. "Well…it's..it's what my Grandfather wants me to pursue as a career." He stammered out, not sure quite what Melialeirionmoria meant.

Melialeirionmoria stared calmly up at Theta as they exited the main arena of the Panopticon. "But what do you want, Theta Sigma?"

There was a moment of silence between the two Time Youths, blue eyes staring aside, not quite able to meet that intent brown eyed gaze affixed on him.

"I…my Grandfather says this is the best path for me." Theta honestly responded. "I've never really thought about anything else."

There was genuine sympathy Melialeirionmoria expression, "How could you never have thought about what _you_ want to do with your life, Theta Sigma?"

Theta bristled slightly, "Because…because…does it really matter, Melialeirionmoria?" He helplessly questioned, knowing he _should_ have an answer to that question, what he wanted in life.

But there was nothing. Only what Borusa had told him he should want.

"It _should_ matter." Melialeirionmoria replied simply, knowingly shaking her head. "But look at you. Your grandfather has you so controlled, you can't even look at me in the eye in case you might end up with thoughts about something _else_ other than your studies." She insinuated.

Theta blushed terribly, "I…no…I mean…" He looked helplessly down at his boots.

"I suppose it's not your fault, but, I should let you know, before we're forced to spent any more time together, I don't like politicians." Melialeirionmoria explained, Theta raising his gaze to see the female Time Youth fold her arms under her breasts, her mouth set in frown of contemplation as she regarded him.

"I feel they inevitably become corrupt, despite all good intentions. And ergo, I don't like future politicians. I only put up with my Father _because_ he's my father." Melialeirionmoria shrugged, and leaned her back against the semi-transparent, green wall of the balcony edged walkway they'd exited into.

"Besides, you're a Deca. I doubt you think about much outside of your little clique. _And_ you're a show-off. I saw you once, riding wild vortisaurs bareback." Melialeirionmoria tilted her head to the side.

"You present this studious, arrogant front, and then you go do something like that? At the Academy most of us call you: 'The enigma Theta Sigma' behind your back."

Lowering his gaze again, Theta kicked the floor with the tip of his boot. "I learnt to ride vortisaurs bareback when I was living with the Drylanders as a Time Tot." He admitted slowly, lifting his gaze to see Melialeirionmoria still observing him, but with a raised brow now.

"Well now, you see? There _is_ something I find interesting about you, future politician." Melialeirionmoria mentioned breezily, waving her hand towards the right side of the walkway.

"I'm going to go get us a shuttle. Don't go wondering off anywh—wait, who am I talking to? You wouldn't dare disobey your grandfather, would you?"

Theta silently watched the young woman swiftly depart down the walkway, a mixed expression of shame and miff running dually across his features. Leaning against the railing of the balcony, Theta looked down into the many levels below him, the treetops belonging the Triumvirate Gardens could be seen at the base of the building.

"I do so think for myself," Theta whispered, not liking how the President's daughter had made him not only question his whole life up until this point, with only a few remarks, but also the strange feeling that was coming over him whenever he looked at Melialeirionmoria.

 _It's not…I'm not…I can't be…I mean, I haven't even given thought to anything like that before…_

" _ **Theta Sigma**_ _…"_

Lifting up his head, Theta whipped his gaze from side to side to locate the origin of the low, whispered voice, but he was alone upon the green crystal walkway. The only sound resonating was the indistinguishable murmurings coming from the main arena behind him.

" _ **Theta Sigma…son of Lungbarrow**_ _._ _.._ _ **Listen**_ _ **!**_ _"_ The voice echoed again, the last word a gasping, loud whisper that seemed to echo in his ears.

Almost immediately, Theta could feel a coldness wash over him, and then the soft whispers seem to control his movements, guiding him in the direction they so desired. Under the unknown voice's power, Theta silently walked, slipping and hiding behind objects, and lurking in the shadows whenever other Time Lords and Gallifreyans passed by.

None of the Time Lords or Gallifreyans seemed to be aware of the Time Youth's presence at all, almost as if the owners of the whispering voices distracted them, making Theta invisible to their senses completely as he passed by. Theta himself passing through various stages of a semi-conscious state, not entirely aware of his surroundings or movements.

It seemed like no time had passed at all when Theta found himself exiting an elevator, suddenly conscious of himself again and able to survey his now surroundings.

There was low light. It was cold. The brightly lit elevator behind Theta slammed shut, and the Time Youth was a fraction too slow to stop it. Theta rapidly pressed the buttons on the side of the elevator entrance, but it wouldn't open.

Pausing and taking in a deep breath, Theta slowly turned around and blinked his eyes, his gaze slowly adjusting to the low light. There were ancient stone arches covered in bare, dead ivy. Lines of Old High Gallifreyan writing carved across the walls, barely visible to the eye between the dried ivy plant covering it and worn surface.

Theta looked down at the stone floor, and observed the circular Gallifreyan swirling in gold upon it.

Struggling to read the text, the Time Youth muttered it out loud, " _In good conscious be aware, for in the footsteps of the ancestors you find yourself treading_ …" he paled and fell back against a stone pillar.

"The Matrix." Theta whispered in singular horror.

There was an anguished, piercing, screaming sound, followed by a low hum and the Time Youth scrambled to his feet, Theta's boots slipping on the polished, ancient stone floor. He'd never heard that noise before, but Theta had a very good notion as to what it belonged to.

"Cloister Wraith." The frightened whisper fell from Theta's lips, as his light blue eyes darted from side to side. The stories he'd been told, from the cradle to the classes in the Academy.

 _Cloister Wraiths, also known colloquially as 'Sliders'._ Theta thought, trying to calm the rapid beating of his binary hearts. _Automated_ s _tatues set up to protect the Matrix, housed within the Cloisters, inhabited by the data of deceased Time Lords. No one has ever faced them, and lived to leave alive—_

Theta's eyes suddenly locked with a hazy projection of a pale, black and white face caught in mid-scream, and he screamed in shock in response. Looking to the left, there was another face, and whipping himself around, yet another.

Four stone statues, carved to resemble Time Lords in their traditional robes of state, hand in hand encircled him, apace changing faces all gazed down at the Time Youth, and the whispering…the voices that had drawn him to this place…it had been the Cloister Wraiths…somehow…

" _ **Theta Sigma. Theta Sigma. Theta Sigma."**_ The Cloister Wraiths chanted in unison.

" _Son of Ulysses.._." The Wraith on Theta's left spoke.

"… _birthed of Lungbarrow_ …" The Wraith directly behind Theta broke in.

"… _to the human woman, Penelope Gate_." The Wraith in front of Theta continued.

" _ **Half-human, half-Time Lord."**_ The Wraiths collectively chanted. " _ **Half-human, half-Time Lord..."**_

Theta looked around at the Cloister Wraiths, "Does it matter?!" He found himself shouting at them over the top of their chanting.

All of a sudden the loose circle the Cloister Wraiths had formed became a tight circle, becoming so that they were but a hairsbreadth away from the horrified Time Youth, the stench of decay and dying engulfing him.

" _Just a child now. Such a long way to go._ " One Cloister Wraith commented.

" _Running, always running away from the inevitable."_ A second Wraith countered.

" _Says he's not a warrior, but he's not the coward he claims to be, either."_ Another Wraith chimed in.

" _The Hybrid_." The Wraith on Theta's right spoke up.

" _ **The Hybrid will stand in the ruins of Gallifrey, and destroy a billion hearts to heal his own."**_ All four Cloister Wraiths, sounding like a hundred voices, called out collectively.

Theta could taste blood on his bottom lip from biting down on it so hard in his terror. "Who," his throat was dry, and his voice sounded raspy, barely legible to his ears at all. "Who is the Hybrid?"

A Cloister Wraith leaned forward and whispered directly into Theta's ear, the Time Youth's mouth slacked open as it spoke to him.

Then as the Wraith pulled back, Theta was suddenly bombarded by voices and images, overloading his senses, the Time Youth fell to his knees as the Cloister Wraiths chanted in unison a single word of Old High Gallifreyan.

" _ **Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός.**_ **.."**

" _All of Time and Space…"_

" _Have you ever thought what it's like to be wanders in the Fourth Dimension?"_

" _Ten million years of absolute power. That's what it takes to be really corrupt!"_

"... _ **Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός.**_ **.."**

"… _everywhere and anywhere…"_

" _No one's going to turn me into an interplanetary puppet."_

" _The illusion is always one of normality."_

" _You want dominion over the living, yet all you do is kill!"_

" **...** _ **Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός.**_ **.."**

"… _every star that ever was…"_

" _That's the exciting thing, that nobody in the universe can do what we're doing."_

" _What's the point?! Don't you see? It's all gone. Everything you were, everything you stood for."_

" _Time is born, matter, space. The universe cries out like a newborn."_

" **...** _ **Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός.**_ **.."**

" _Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame."_

" _Do I have the right?"_

" _It's taken me all these years to realise the laws of time are mine, and they will obey me!"_

"No more!" Theta cried out, as he pounded his fists against the stone floor beneath him, his skullcap tumbling off of his head. "Please, no more!"

" **...** _ **Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός. Iατρός.**_ **.."**

" _Wherever you go, whatever path you take, it will follow. Never faster, never slower, always coming."_

"… _where do you want to start?"_

Lifting up his eyes to the faint, sunlight streaming through into the dark Cloisters, the tears flowed down his youthful features as Theta screamed out in Old High Gallifreyan.

"Iατρόςἀντιφωνητής?!"

-:-:-:-

Theta never figured out how he managed to find an exit out of the Cloisters and away from the Matrix. He thought Cloister Wraiths might have directed him. Perhaps they had even dragged him, screaming and crying in his hallucinating state, and flung him out of the Cloisters themselves.

Regardless, Theta found himself crawling slowly, purposefully, along the stark white hallway outside of the Cloisters. His once fine robes were torn and tattered. There were dark smears left by the young man's bloodied, dirtied, bruised hands along the shining, smooth white floor as he made his painful escape.

Breathing shallowly, Theta was too exhausted to drag himself further, and struggled to pull himself up against the nearby wall to his left, settling into a seated position with fatigued resignation.

Staring out blankly at the stark white wall across from his prone position, the pale Time Youth blinked a few times, before starting to laugh.

Slowly at first, then louder, and louder.

Theta's almost maniacal laughter mingling with the growing noise of the sounding Cloister Bells, at last alerting the rest of the population of Gallifrey that something had taken place in the Matrix.

Theta felt a firm grip of his shoulders, and, looking upwards stared into blue eyes framed by a crimson veil. He fell forward into the figure's arms and continued to laugh as the slender, veiled figure held him gently, rocking Theta soothingly until the Time Youth collapsed against them into unconsciousness.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. The second chapter will be up soon.**


	2. II

**II**

* * *

"… **d** on't you act so sanctimonious with me! You should not even be on this planet!"

"I have every right to be here. He's my Grandson as well. And, unlike you, with your limited abilities, I saw this was going to happen!"

"You made your decision to no longer have a place in this family, when you left to join the Sisterhood, leaving me to raise the Time Tots alone—"

"Time Tots _indeed_. Don't you dare exaggerate! Ulysses was already married…!"

Theta slowly opened up his eyes, blinking as he looked across the stark, white sheet covered, plastic medic bunk, over at where he could see Borusa, still in his robes of state, but minus the collar, standing at the end of his medic bunk.

His grandfather was arguing with a fair-haired woman, dressed in crimson-robes, and a semi-transparent crimson veil was draped from the top of her head.

Vaguely, Theta pieced together that this must be the woman who had been at his side when he'd crawled out of the Cloisters.

Over in the corner there was another Time Lord present. Red haired and with a beard, dressed in the all white, medic robes, he was reading over a com-tablet, clearly ignoring the argument between Borusa and the veiled woman.

The light from the medic room was streaming in from a large, arched window on Theta's right, casting a more golden colour from the mid-afternoon suns against the otherwise white space.

Theta let out a small groan, looking down and studying his hands, they were encased in clear covering orbs, floating in a healing, liquid, blue medicate substance.

"The boy is awake, Borusa." The strange woman's voice informed.

Theta looked over to see all three of the other occupants approaching him, and he looked reproachfully back up at them. "What?" He questioned, not liking the way they were looking down at him with wariness.

Borusa leaned closer, "Do you know who you are?"

Shrugging, Theta stared mildly back at Borusa. "Do any of us _really_ know who we are?"

Surprised at his grandson's unusual flippancy, the middle-aged Time Lord was slightly taken back, but managed to recover, "Your name, I mean."

Theta noticed there was a force field barrier, holding him down in his bunk, and he wondered why there was such a thing, but finally answered Borusa. "My real name, or my Academy name?" He questioned.

"Either." The red haired medic interceded, pulling out his com-tablet and taking notes.

Feeling faint, Theta lolled his head to the side, "Iατρός…" he whispered in Old High Gallifreyan, making Borusa's heavy grey eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"What?"

Theta looked squarely at his grandfather, "Theta Sigma." He responded blithely in normal Gallifreyan, looking over at the veiled woman. "You're a Sister of Karn. You were there after I left…you held me."

The stern woman touched Theta's forehead. "Yes, boy. I'm a Sister of Karn. I'm also your Grandmother, Ohila." She revealed.

The injured Time Youth smiled widely, "That's nice. I always wanted a grandmother. I don't have a mother or father...you know, though, I did, once," he looked over at Borusa, inclining his head in his grandfather's direction.

"He could have stopped my father being exiled, but he didn't."

Borusa's mouth fell open, feeling the glare of Ohila, "How did…Ohila I did all in my power—"

"Liar!" Theta suddenly snarled, pointing with his encased hand. "You wanted to be my sole guardian, you wanted the power I—" He stopped mid-sentence. "—oh, please don't blame the President's daughter. She told me to wait, I just listened to the voices in my head instead, they took me away."

Theta laughed, closing his eyes as he lent back against the pillow. "She doesn't like me, you know? The President's daughter doesn't like future politicians. Isn't that funny?" He began to slip back into unconsciousness.

"Melialeirionmoria doesn't like me…"

The medic gently shook Theta's shoulders, "You have to stay awake, young man. You have to tell us in as much detail as you can, what happened to you down in the Cloisters." He insisted.

Theta's eyes shot open, "There are cameras, you must have seen…" he shut his eyes again.

"Yes, we did. We saw the footage of you entering the Cloisters, and then being surrounded by the Cloister Wraiths. But we didn't see exactly what happened, the footage went fuzzy and the audio cut out." The medic lent forward.

"You said 'they' called you down into the Cloisters, by they—"

"The Cloister Wraiths." Theta interrupted swiftly, turning his back on the medic and closing his eyes again. "Now can I sleep? I've had quite enough of all of these questions."

"Theta Sigma!" Borusa scolded.

"I don't think it will do any good." Ohila interceded. "The boy has had a shocking experience. No one has ever been called by the Cloister Wraiths. Nor have they ever survived, or escaped, to tell the tale of being surrounded by them." She rested her hand on Theta's head.

"He might never fully regain his wits."

Theta snapped open his eyes and peered up at Ohila. "Grandmother, I'll have you know I'm perfectly within my wits." He turned back around. "I just don't wish to be questioned any further. Like you said, shocking experience. Understatement of the millennia, by the way…"

"Just tell me one thing then, boy," Ohila bent down to be face to face with the bruised face of the Time Youth. "Why did they call you?"

Sighing heavily, Theta shut his eyes as he began to drift back to sleep. "They wanted to tell me about The Hybrid…I know…who…" he trailed off and slipped into unconsciousness.

-:-:-:-

"Thete?" A deep, solemn voice questioned. "Thete, are you awake?"

Flickering his eyes open, Theta tilted his head head and stared through half-lidded slits at the hazy, dark haired figure addressing him, opening his eyes fully, he stared at the thin moustached, dark haired young Time Lord staring mildly back down at him.

The Time Youth's telepathic connection quickly informed Theta of the relation of the older Time Lord.

"Irving?" Theta hoarsely questioned coughing slightly into his now bare right hand, it still smelt faintly of the medical solution it had been floating in.

The Time Lord reached for the tumbler of water and pressed it to his young, half-brother's lips. "Yes, Thete, it's me." Irving Braxiatel assured, removing the tumbler after Theta had taken a sip.

Clearing his throat, Theta blinked up at his tall half-brother, "You've regenerated. I wouldn't have recognised you without the telepathic link." He mentioned conversely, settling back against the pillows.

Braxiatel gave Theta a small smile as he placed the tumbler back on the side table, sitting back down in the white, moulded chair he'd pulled up to Theta's bedside, "Yes. You haven't regenerated and I _still_ hardly recognised you. You've grown so much."

Matching his brother's small smile, Theta looked up at the ceiling, "Well, that happens in fifty years," he pointed out the time since he'd last seen his sibling.

Nodding, Braxiatel folded his arms over his chest. "I have been busy in my role as ambassador, and our Grandfather doesn't care for me very much, you know that, Thete." He leaned forward. "You should think about being an ambassador for a career yourself."

Theta shook his head and turned to regard Braxiatel. "No, thank you. Perhaps the travelling is good, but the whole bureaucracy, and being stationed for long periods of time, planet to planet, doesn't sound like my cup of tea." He dismissed the idea with a disinterested wave of his hand.

Braxiatel folded his hands together, "So, politics, then? Like Grandfather intends for you?"

Raising a tired eyebrow, Theta pulled the covers up to his chin and frowned, looking ahead at the blank wall in front of his bunk. "Grandfather intends a lot of things for me, and now I'm not sure if I want any of it, any more," he mumbled, looking aside at his brother, who wore a surprised expression.

"What's that look for, Irving?"

Blinking his eyes, Braxiatel looked closely at Theta, "I—never mind. I expect you're still in shock from the experience, it's just that you sound a little—?"

"Off my wits?" Theta interrupted dryly. "I can assure you, Irving, I'm perfectly within my wits—why do I feel like I've had this conversation before…oh yes, with Grandmother." He yawned and shrugged.

Braxiatel glanced to the side, "I see. I've read the official accounts, of course, but you—why did they call you down there, Thete?" He curiously questioned his young half-brother.

Theta rolled his blue eyes, "To talk. Chalk it up to another incident because of my half-human status. I'm starting to think I'm more of a freak than I ever did before," he sulked, causing his brother to reach out to place a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"You're not a freak, Thete. You're unique, but you are still a normal Time Youth, you can see that in your blood charts. Your human blood hardly impacts you at all, apart from several differentials in your blood-group and chemical make-up, I mean," Braxiatel withdrew his hand from his brother's shoulder.

"I don't know about when you get older, because Father always says there's a chance one of your hearts, biologically, is more human than Time Lord. However—"

Theta's head whipped around to regard his brother, as he interrupted, "What do you mean, 'says'…? Wait," he looked over at Braxiatel, who raised a dark eyebrow in repose. "Have you seen Father recently?"

There was a small smile, and Braxiatel pulled a satchel bag onto his lap, "I have. He and Penelope gave me a few things for you, if I managed to see you when I got back to Gallifrey," he admitted, reaching to the cloth bag and pulling out several items, depositing them on to Theta's blanket covered lap.

There were three, brown paper wrapped objects and Theta eagerly tore into the first package, revealing a Sol-3 hardcover book, reading the front of the dust-cover, he blinked. " _The Time Machine_ …Mother would read this to me before bedtime." He flicked through the pages, finding the plain, red leather bookmark, with a bronze coloured tassel.

"We were half-way through…"

Placing the book to the side, Theta unwrapped another packaging, revealing another book. This one about _Human Anthropology For The New Age._ Confused, Theta also put it to the side, and reached for the last package, which was also the smallest and thinnest.

Slowly peeling back the brown paper, Theta revealed a black and white photograph in a dark wooden frame, of a man and a woman, standing on a grassy hill. A body of water, with a strange bridge across it, in the background.

The woman looked painfully familiar enough for Theta to instantly recognise her, it was Penelope Gate.

His mother looked at least twenty human years older than the last time he'd seen her, and the man beside her looked slightly younger, tall and light-eyed, with dark hair and a well trimmed beard. There was something in his stance that reminded Theta of someone.

Turning the frame around, there was writing on the back, and Theta Sigma cleared his throat as he read the Sol-3 English out loud:

" _Dr. Penelope Gate and Dr. Daniel Joyce, in front of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, 1965…_ who is this Daniel Joyce?" Theta voiced curiously, and Braxiatel pointed over at the _Human Anthropology For The New Age_ book and the Time Youth reached over for the heavy, green leather-bound book.

Reading the dust-cover, Theta found the author's name, "Dr. Daniel Joyce," he read out, looking over at his half-brother. "The same person?"

Braxiatel smiled indulgently, "Open it up and read the dedication." He directed.

Obliging his older half-brother, Theta cracked open the Sol-3 book and turned a couple of pages until he reached the dedication page, " _To my wife, Penelope Gate_ …wife?!" Theta looked over at Braxiatel in shock, who reached over and tapped the page.

"Read a little further, Thete."

Theta scowled a little as he looked back down at the dedication page, "…, _my eldest son, and especially to my youngest son, who will always be half human, and half stardust wonder, to me_ …" he trailed off, picking back up the photograph and staring. "Oh. He regenerated as well."

"They forced Father to, before he and Penelope were exiled," Braxiatel explained slowly, looking seriously down at Theta. "You can't let our Grandfather know I've given you this information. What you do with it will be your business, though, not his."

Nodding solemnly, Theta watched as his brother gathered up the books, photograph, and brown paper, stashing it back into the satchel, "Thank-you, Irving." He said sincerely, his older brother turning his head, a look of guilt on his face.

"Thete," Braxiatel handed the satchel over to his brother, before resting his hand on Theta's thin shoulder. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop them from sending you to the Drylander foster home. I didn't know, until after you were already at the Academy, or else I would have done something to stop it."

Looking up Braxiatel, Theta nodded, "It's all right now, Irving. Are you leaving soon?" He asked, and his half-brother looked regretful, his brown eyes narrowed.

"Borusa gave me permission to see you, on the condition it would be brief. He's probably lurking around, timing my visit as we speak." Braxiatel mentioned dryly, managing to sound exactly like Theta's memory of his father's tone whenever he spoke of Borusa.

Braxiatel leaned forward, "When you are a Time Lord, and it's only a few decades away, you will be free of obligations to Borusa." He squeezed Theta's shoulder gently. "Until then, I will try to see you, if ever I can, little brother."

Resting his newly healed right hand atop the one Braxiatel rested on his shoulder, Theta inclined his head, "Please do, Irving." He grinned. "You know, it might have been a near-death experience, but I think what I went through has opened up my eyes."

Braxiatel withdrew his hand, folding his arms as he regarded his bedridden young half-brother, "How so, Thete?"

Smirking slightly, as he yawned, stretching his arms slowly, painful bruises still making the movement difficult, Theta leaned back against his pillows, "I'm not quite sure yet, Irving. But I've got a feeling I'll figure it out, soon enough."

Smiling, Irving headed for the door, stopping mid-way to look back at Theta, "Put the satchel under your pillow, and get some rest." He winked. "I'll tell our Grandfather that you remained fast asleep during my entire visit."

Theta let out a chuckle, as his half-brother gave a wave of farewell, before slipping out the door, leaving the Time Youth to do as Braxiatel suggested, tucking the satchel with the books and photograph behind his pillows, hidden from Borusa's prying gaze.

"Half stardust wonder." Theta murmured as he closed his eyes, remembering his father's nickname for him, Stardust Wonderer.

 _Would I still be that to you, Father, if we meet again? I'm not so sure…_

-:-:-:-

A few hours after Irving left, Theta was awakened again by a medic, who brought him his noon-time meal. Which was actually a pleasant array of vegetables, meat and salad. With the added treat of Sol-3 style chocolate and vanilla ice-cream, brought to him afterwards for desert, as Theta had requested.

Half-way through digging into his ice-cream, there was a knock on the hospital room door, and Theta lowered the spoon from his lips, and cleared his throat.

"Enter."

The door slid across and a smile parted Theta's features, when he saw his fair-haired aunt's head pop around the side. Flavia's hair was loosely braided down her back, and she was dressed in a simple, olive green gown, tied under her bust with a darker green cord.

"Are you good for visitors, nephew?"

Nodding, Theta waved his aunt forward, "Yes! I'm desperate for them," he encouraged, making his aunt laugh, as she straightened and entered the hospital room, followed by a large, hulking figure of a Time Lord.

Flavia's towering, Time Lord companion, had a full, dark brown beard, and was dressed in dark brown pants, shining, knee-high black boots, a brown vest and a white shirt. The sleeves of the shirt were cut off, exposing massive, muscular arms, the left of which had a distinctive, blue tattoo, of an Ouroboros, (a snake eating it's tail.)

"Ah ha! There's the likely lad, Theta Sigma," the bearded Time Lord boomed, as he walked over to look down at the Time Youth, his brown eyes twinkling with mirth.

"I knew, even when you were a Time-Tot, that you were an adventurer after my own heart. Going into the Cloisters and confronting Time Wraiths head-on. If I'd known you'd be like this as a Time Youth, I would have smuggled you off planet as my assistant the moment you asked to tag along with me."

Theta shrugged as he took another spoonful of his ice-cream, "It wasn't voluntary, Corsair," he mentioned, popping the spoon into his mouth, withdrawing it as he chuckled. "The way my Grandfather carries on, though, he probably swears I did it on purpose to get out of exams."

The Corsair let out a loud laugh and flopped down on the chair beside Theta's bunk, "And here I'd heard Flavia say you've become so serious," he looked over at his fair-haired companion, who had pulled another chair over to sit on the other side of her nephew.

Theta tapped the side of his head, "My Grandmother says I'm likely out of my wits now, that's probably why," he turned to look over at Flavia. "Am quite different, Aunt Flavia?"

Reaching over to pat her nephew's hand, the fair haired Time Lady sighed, "It's understandable if you are, you're still recovering from the shock," Flavia soothed, getting to her feet. "I'm going to go distract my father so you can have a bit more time to talk, just in case he's still patrolling the hallways."

Gliding over the medic-room door, Flavia glared over at The Corsair as the door slid across. "Don't go putting ideas in Theta head, Corsair, he's in recovery right now."

Leaning back on his chair, the burly Time Lord inclined his head, "Naturally, Flavia, my dear." After Flavia slipped outside and the door closed behind her, The Corsair looked over at Theta.

"Off to University soon?"

The Time Youth nodded, "Yes." Theta took a large spoonful of his ice-cream. "Although, Borusa is going to remain the Deca's mentor, so I doubt I'm going to get that much more freedom." He mentioned plainly, popping his spoon into his mouth.

The Corsair screwed up his face in sympathy, "Hard luck, old chum." He lent forward. "I tell you what, how about I find a way to get word to you whenever I'm on planet, and, if you'd like, you could sneak out and join me for a night out in the Drylander pubs, or maybe the Shobogan camps".

Smirking around his mouthful of ice-cream, Theta swallowed and nodded his head, "That absolutely sounds like a plan." He agreed gleefully.

Laughing, The Corsair rested his hand on the Time Youth's skinny shoulder, "Good. You can bring along whomever you'd like. Are you still friends with that young jackanape from Oakdown—"

The booming, jovial voice of the The Corsair, was cut off by an outraged yell from outside of Theta's medic-room.

" _Who did you say is in there with my Grandson?!"_

Jumping to his feet, The Corsair winked, "I think I just heard my cue to leave," he mentioned, making his way over to the door, and offering Theta a quick salute. "I'll see you around, Theta Sigma. I've got the feeling this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

Theta mimicked the burly Time Lord's salute, and watched as The Corsair ducked out of his room and laughed as he heard the sound of hurried boot-heels clicking down the hallway.

Reaching behind his pillow, Theta pulled out his copy of _The Time Machine_ , and opened it up, pretending to be engrossed in it, before he calmly peered over the top of the book as his harried grandfather appeared timely into his room.

"Why, Grandfather," Theta smiled benignly, lowering his book slightly. "How nice of you to visit me."

Borusa eyed his youngest grandchild with a scowl, "Who was just in here with you?" He demanded, slightly out of breath, looking around the sparse medic-room, before looking back at Theta.

Blinking his blue eyes succinctly, Theta leaned back against his pillows, "Why, Aunt Flavia, of course." He responded blithely, closing his book and resting it on the hovering bed tray, beside his half-eaten bowl of ice-cream.

Borusa raised an eyebrow, and pushed back his hair in frustration, "I swear, young man, if you weren't so ill, I'd make you write out five chapters of the Scrolls of Rassilon, first in Old High Gallifreyan and then in Circular Gallifreyan." He sat down in the chair beside Theta's bedside.

Theta looked mildly across at his grandfather, "Have you come to keep me company?" He questioned, picking back up his ice-cream spoon, swirling his melting desert around its bowl. "That's nice of you."

Frowning, Borusa folded his arms across his chest. "Thank you. But, I'm going to make sure that no more further undesirable company comes into this room," he looked Theta over. "You're still not entirely recovered, and I won't have particular individuals stirring you up."

Theta glanced towards the door, "You mean you were nice enough to invite Prunell Glopthorpe to visit my bedside, and now you're going to keep her away?" He tutted and put a large spoonful of ice-cream into his mouth, ignoring the disproving glare from his grandfather, and laughing to himself.

* * *

Thank you for reading. The next chapter will be up soon.


	3. III

**III**

* * *

" **T** hat's it, that's it, that is _it_!"

Rolling his brown eyes, the dark haired Junior Time Lord, picked up his pace to keep up with his fuming, fair-haired counterpart.

Quickly jogging after the slightly taller young man with a sigh, Koschei's watched on as his best friend stalked down the vacant, glass encased, semi-transparent crystal walkway, that bridged between the designated examination rooms and the hallowed, Dolomite Hall of the Time Lord Academy.

"Thete, you've been complying with almost all of Borusa's orders for decades now," Koschei mentioned pointedly. "All of a sudden, for the past two decades, you've been pushing his buttons more and more. Why _now_?"

Halting in mid-step, Theta turned on his booted heel and sighed heavily, pushing back his wavy, dark-blond, below ear-length hair from his forehead in frustration. "Because he refuses to even give me an inch, Koschei." The ninety-five year old Junior Time Lord mentioned with a huff.

"He never lets me go anywhere unescorted by one of the guards. I swear he's also been paying other members of the staff to watch me every waking moment." Theta folded his arms over his chest. "The most escape I get is vortisaur riding…even _then_ he has a guard waiting back at the stable to escort me back here!"

Koschei mimicked his friend's stance, tapping his upper arms with a shake of his head. "The thing is, you don't give Borusa an inch either, Thete. What about what you did five years ago?" He pointed out grimly.

"Stealing a time capsule with Rallon and Millennia, when neither of you could barely pilot one. And then what happened to Millennia and Rallon as a consequence—"

"I know." Theta interrupted with a snap, pain flooding his light blue eyes. "I was _there_. And I don't want to talk about, Koschei." He rested his hand over his mouth. "I'm just so frustrated. I feel so trapped."

Resting a tanned hand on Theta's shoulder, Koschei looked sympathetically at his lifelong friend.

A little broader than he'd been twenty years ago, Koschei had reached his adult height of five-foot-seven, while Theta, still slender, (despite becoming broader across his chest and shoulders,) had shot up to just under five-foot-nine, taller than his best friend for the first time in their lives.

Both dressed in the crimson, university issue robes of the Prydonian academy, Koschei's hair was short -cut and impeccably groomed, and his overall appearance neat.

While Theta's, as was usually the case, robes were creased and carelessly worn. He had rebelliously grown out his dark-blond hair, allowing it to graze just slightly below his jaw. Theta sometimes tied his hair back, but often wore it loose. The Junior Time Lord would stare out succinctly, whenever a mentor Time Lord would tut at him for his appearance, or laughing whenever Borusa demanded he cut his hair to a more respectable length.

Theta was starting a trend amongst the male Junior Time Lords and Time Youths, who also started neglecting the shorter hairstyles in favour of longer lengths, much to the mentor Time Lords chagrin, who were wont to bemoan to Borusa. Who, in turn, snapped that he could barely get his grandson to pay attention in class, let alone hold Theta's attention long enough to ask him to cut his hair.

While Koschei couldn't say he wasn't amused by the change in his best friend over the past few decades, but he was still slightly wary that it borderlined on madness, because of the events that happened to Theta in the Cloisters…the dark haired Junior Time Lord shivered.

Koschei almost daily wondered how Theta had survived the events. But his best friend responded several times, when Koschei had questioned him how it happened, that he had no clue about the matter, and Theta would firmly request Koschei didn't ask him any more questions on the subject.

There was a clearing of the throat, and both young men turned to see a Time Youth standing about a foot away, the teenage girl had her dark hair in a pixie-cut, and she tilted her head slightly.

"Theta Sigma?"

Holding up his hand, Theta stepped forward, "That's me." He responded, the Time Youth held out her hand, a folded piece of paper in her grasp, Theta took the folded paper and the girl inclined her head quickly, jogging quickly away from the Junior Time Lords.

Sparing a quick glance after the teenage girl, Theta and Koschei both looked down at the note, as Theta unfolded the piece of paper and quickly scanned the note, written in Sol-3 English, with an ever growing smirk of amusement, turning his head to Koschei.

"It's from The Corsair. He's on planet, and says that he'll meet me, and whomever else I wish to bring along, outside of the University walls, tonight." Theta revealed holding up the note triumphantly. "Finally. A chance to alleviate our tedious boredom. You're coming with me, right, Koschei?"

Blinking his blue eyes, Koschei looked wary. "Perhaps…but where are we going?"

Theta lent his arm on his best friend's shoulder, "Somewhere fun. Drinking, dancing," he leaned closer to Koschei. "Women."

Koschei frowned, "There are plenty of female Junior Time Lords to flirt with right here, Thete." He mentioned.

Waving his hand, Theta shrugged, "Yes, yes. All abiding to the rules, Koschei." He leaned forward. "Think about it. Women free of rules, restrictions and regulations. A night when we could be just as free."

Shaking his head, Koschei looked aside, "The rules are there for a reason, Thete. I don't know if it's because of what happened to you in the cloisters, but your blood runs so hot for things that normal Time Lords usually wait until they're full Time Lords to experience."

Theta tilted his head to the side, "Perhaps. But, I promise not to get too carried away," he vowed, poking Koschei's upper arm. "C'mon, a little drinking, a little bit of hearing stories from The Corsair about his travels, you can't say you're not a little curious."

Sighing heavily, Koschei waved his hand, "All right. I concede that I wouldn't mind hearing some stories, and maybe visiting the Drylander pubs," he admitted, Theta grinned and put his arm around Koschei's shoulders.

"That's the spirit, now," Theta leaned closer to Koschei and lowered his voice, as the two of them walked slowly back down the hallway, towards their shared quarters. "I've written to The Corsair about how Borusa always makes sure if I leave the University building, I'm followed by a guard. He's bribed the guards into taking the place of the one who is usually put in charge of me.

"So," Theta continued, with a wide smirk on his high-cheekboned features. "I'll tell Borusa that Perseus is still feeling under the weather, and I'm going to go check on him and give him his medicine, and you've volunteered to help me administer it, and help watch him for a few hours afterwards."

Koschei couldn't help but let a small smile grace his own lips, "Very cunning, Theta Sigma. I'm impressed. So we don't even have to shimmy down the drainpipe, or knot the sheets together, we just walk straight out of the front door." He nodded.

"You've become quite the conspirator, and I thought _I_ was the jackanape around here."

Theta laughed and pushed back his longish hair from his eyes with his free hand, "Well, after over ninety years, I think your sneakiness has finally rubbed off on me," he playfully punched Koschei's shoulder.

His smile widening, Koschei cuffed his best friend and gave him a noogie.

"Hey!"

"You need a haircut!"

-:-:-:-

Borusa's narrowed, blue-eyed gaze gazed down at his grandson succinctly.

The Junior Time Lord was dressed in a dark scarlet vortisaur riding jumpsuit and knee-high, light brown riding boots, his hair ( _I wish he would cut that mop…_ ) tied back away from his face with a leather band in a low ponytail.

 _He looks dressed for the stable_ , Borusa thought mildly, looking across at where his grandson's long-time best friend, had borrowed one of Theta's riding jumpsuits and set of boots. Koschei's dark blue gaze was unreadable as always.

 _Koschei's going with him…that's slightly odd, given that he doesn't like vortisaurs one bit. But, if Theta asked for his help…these two are so close, they're more like brothers. It makes sense._

"Yes, that's fine, Theta." Borusa finally gave his answer. "I'm pleased you take such good care of your animals. And Koschei, I'm pleased Theta has such a reliable companion."

Theta inclined his head, "Thank you, Grandfather." He motioned to Koschei. "We'll return when the Vet-Medic gives Perseus the all clear."

Koschei also inclined his head to their tutor, and both young men quickly departed Borusa's office. The Academy tutor waiting until his office door was firmly shut, before pressing a communication panel on his desk.

"Guards Office? The usual order regarding Theta Sigma."

" _Yes sir. The officer will be dispatched immediately."_

Borusa pulled his finger away and sat back down on his chair, furrowing his brow. Not quite being able to shake the feeling his rebellious grandson was, yet again, up to something.

"Damn it all," Borusa whispered under his breath. "Why did those Cloister Wraiths call him to The Matrix? What do those phantoms know? What did they tell him?"

-:-:-:-

Waiting patiently outside of the high, stone wall of the Prydonian Chapter of the Time Lord Academy, both Theta and Koschei had donned rough woven, dark brown capes on their way out of the University.

The artificial light from the huge lanterns on either side of the sculpted iron gate, bathed down upon the two Junior Time Lords in the otherwise semi-darkness, as they waited for their older companion.

After a few minutes, there was a loud whisper from behind them.

"Theta Sigma?"

Spinning around, Theta faced the grinning, bearded face of The Corsair. Dressed in a guard's uniform at least a size too small, and a similar hooded cloak to the Junior Time Lords, but in a fine, black velvet, the looming Time Lord placed a friendly hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"Corsair. It's good to see you." Theta greeted, placing his own hand on The Corsair's opposing shoulder.

"Aye, lad. You've grown some since we last met." The Corsair mentioned. "And I am liking the long hair, I bet your teachers are up in arms about you starting a trend."

Theta shrugged and motioned to Koschei, "You remember my friend, Koschei." He reintroduced.

The Corsair offered his hand and Koschei took it firmly, "Of course. You've grown some too, lad." He motioned ahead. "This is good. It's about time the two of you had some more grown-up fun, after nearly ninety years of nothing but being shuffled from one classroom to another."

Once they were a fair distance from the University grounds, The Corsair suggested they pull up their hoods, and all three continued to chat about more recent events, The Corsair grimly nodding when Theta brought up the stealing of the Time Capsule and the loss of his two friends.

"Oh aye. Being a Time Lord is dangerous, it is something you will both have to learn to live with the knowledge that our lives are not like anyone else's in the entire galaxy, barring the possibility of The Eternals and, of course, The Guardians." The Corsair mused as they walked through an open, grassy field.

"There are not many of us, and, yet, you will likely lose many more acquaintances than any common Gallifreyan ever would." The Corsair shook his head. "The Prydonian Chapter has practically written the book on at least one perfectly healthy Time Lord per a decade either being exiled or killed."

Koschei looked grim, "One of the mentor's was bemoaning that our generation seemed poise to triple that, as we may have doubled it all ready." He mentioned conversely.

The Corsair shook his head, "There's no need to discuss such a dark issue further, lad. We're going to an Drylander pub, so best keep such talk to yourselves. You won't be judged, I'm friends with them, and I believe you spent a time with them as well, Thete?"

Theta nodded quickly, "Yes." He murmured, The Corsair placed his hand on the shoulder of the taller of the two Junior Time Lords.

"Nothing to be ashamed about, Thete. You had no say in the matter. The Drylander people are kindly, but do have a chip on their shoulder about Time Lords who lord it up, so to speak." The Corsair glanced quickly over at Koschei.

"Speak plainly, talk none of Time Lord issues, and ask them how their lives are. Don't start fights and don't act above them."

Koschei frowned under his hood, "Understood." He muttered.

"What was that, Koschei?" Theta questioned quickly, turning his hooded gaze to his friend.

"I said I understood, and I will try, Thete," Koschei said a little louder.

 _Although, I'm not making any promises. I resent the fact they automatically are going to judge me for being a Time Lord, why shouldn't it be any different for me regarding them?_

-:-:-:-

The Corsair pushed back his black velvet hood as he nudged his two shorter companions into the rough built, bustling Drylander pub, "Welcome to the Gaudy Flubble, lads."

"Apt name," Koschei responded dryly, as he and Theta looked around at the rough and tumble patrons dotted about the crowded establishment. Drinking, playing hologram past-time games, and chatting up serving women. There was also a sizeable crowd around a make-shift bandstand, where a motley crew of Drylanders were playing various instruments, including drums, flutes and perigosto sticks.

Koschei nudged Theta's shoulder as he pulled down his hood, "Hey, the band kinda blows. We should go show them how to really play." He suggested.

Theta grinned, "Sounds like a plan for a later, though, best see what sort of crowd we're dealing with," he mentioned. "Don't want to be thrown out for being 'upstart Time Lords'."

Grimacing, his companion nodded, "Right." Koschei agreed, both Junior Time Lords looking up ahead, at where The Corsair had found an empty table and was motioning to them.

Making their way through the crowd, who only passingly spared them a glance, before going back to their own business, Theta sat down on a stool at the small, round table on The Corsair's left, and Koschei sat down opposite him on The Corsair's right.

"There now. Three Aurelian Ales?" The Corsair glanced at his two younger companions, who nodded, and he stood up, holding up three fingers in the direction of the bar, the bartender nodding in acknowledgement, and began pulling the tankards.

Koschei tapped his fingers idly on the table in front of him, while Theta turned to The Corsair.

"Have you been to see my Aunt Flavia, Corsair?" Theta brought up curiously, now well aware there was more than just friendship between his aunt and the dashing rogue Time Lord.

The Corsair nodded with a smile, "Aye, Thete. She's lovely as ever, I might add, if you don't mind me saying," he shrugged. "But you are old enough now to know our relationship. I would be your uncle, lad, if not for the fact we're both to stubborn to ever make that much of a commitment."

Theta smiled, "Aunt Flavia says the same thing about you, Corsair," he replied cheekily, The Corsair laughing and slapping the younger man on the back.

"Of course she would. Flavia wouldn't be of Lungbarrow if she wasn't stubborn." The Corsair mentioned, as an aged, male server came around with a tray loaded with the three tankards and a bowl of thripten nuts. "Ah, Algern, still on duty, my good man?"

The thin, Drylander nodded his wiry, balding grey head, "Oh aye, Mister Corsair. It's been a good while since you've been on planet, if I might say," he motioned to the two young men. "Who are your two companions?"

The Corsair reached over to take the tankards off the serving tray and place them on the table, "The one on my right is Koschei of Oakdown," he motioned to his left. "The young man on my left is Theta Sigma of Lungbarrow."

Algern glanced over at Theta, "Mertha and Yostin had a young foster Time Tot for a year by that name, I remember the skinny little slip of a boy. Are you by any chance him?"

Theta nodded slowly, "Yes, I would be." He responded simply, and Algern offered a small smile.

"Well now, Mertha talks about you sometimes. I should bring her over to see how you've turned out," Algern lent forward. "You're not a soldier, are you?"

Shaking his head, Theta wrapped his hands around his tankard, "No…no, I'm a Junior Time Lord." He admitted, and Algern smirked.

"There you are, and everyone else thinking you would be lucky to end up a soldier. Determination." Algern mentioned as he tucked the tray under his arm. "This one always had pluck, I remembering him learning how to ride vortisaurs bareback, no fear of even the wild, unbroken ones. I'm going to go fetch Mertha, she's going to burst her bodice strings with pride over you."

Theta and his companions watched Algern depart, and Koschei looked over at his best friend, who was taking a sip of his ale.

"You certainly seem to have a reputation amongst these Drylanders, Thete. _Burst her bodice strings_ … what strange colloquialisms these people have—"

"Oh!" A loud exclaim interrupted Koschei's mutterings and Thete nearly choked on his ale as a faded haired, commonly dressed, buxom middle-aged Drylander woman caught sight of the fair haired Junior Time Lord, and pushed her way through the tables to reach them.

"Oh by Rassilon, it is you, isn't it?"

Theta gave a small smile of greeting and got to his feet. Mertha had always been kind to him, and stood up for him, even when everyone else said he'd only ever amount to be being a soldier if he was lucky, never a Time Lord. It made him proud to be able to show her that her faith hadn't been in vain.

"Hello, Mertha." Theta greeted as Mertha stopped a foot in front of him, looking up at him cautiously, wringing her apron in her hands.

"Oh my…can I give you a hug…? I suppose I can't, though, in your position and—?"

Theta opened up his arms, "I insist," he interrupted, and Mertha threw her arms around the slender Junior Time Lord she had fostered for a year.

"Oh. Oh I knew I would see you again," Mertha pulled him back. "You're still so skinny. But you are handsome. A Junior Time Lord, oh," she dabbed at her eyes with the corner of her apron hem. "I'm so proud. You know you will always have a home while I'm alive, Theta, you remember that?"

Theta rested his hand on her shoulder, "I shall always remember, Mertha. And if I ever I am in need, you don't know how grateful I will always be to take you up on that," he hugged her again, and Mertha pulled back, sniffling.

"I need to return back to the farm. I have other children now who need their supper," Mertha gazed back up at him proudly. "I know now that I was right about you, Theta Sigma, you are going to be someone very special one day. I am glad I got to be part of even such a small moment in your life."

Theta squeezed Mertha's shoulder, "Thank you." He said simply, Mertha smiled up at him, before inclining her head to The Corsair and Koschei, before departing, wiping at her eyes on her apron again.

Koschei took a sip of his ale, watching on as his best friend sat back down with a sigh, "Never a dull moment with you lately, Thete. It's like watching a hologram entertainment drama." He mentioned in his usual, dry tone.

The Corsair shrugged, "That Mertha just sees in Thete what we who really know him see, Koschei, and that is someone special." He took a swig from his tankard. "Which is why your grandfather, Thete, watches you every waking minute, if he can. He _knows_ something."

Koschei sighed, "What is it they say? Marked for greatness?" He ran his finger around the rim of his metal tankard. "Borusa probably has intentions of making Thete President of Gallifrey someday."

Thete paled as he lowered his tankard from his lips, "Don't say things like that, Koschei."

Leaning forward, the dark haired Junior Time Lord raised his eyebrows, "Why not? He's still pushing you into politics, and you still haven't declared any other major. Borusa wants the job himself, that is obvious to everyone, but he's also grooming you to assist him, and likely take his place afterwards."

The Corsair frowned into his beard, "Yes…Flavia has said she suspects as much," he admitted to Theta, who leaned back in his chair thoughtfully, looking petrified at the very suggestion. "Flavia also said you _wanted_ to go into politics, Thete. Have you changed your mind?"

Theta rubbed his eyes, "I…I'm not sure. Over the past twenty years I've…ever since…" he took in a deep breath. "Someone once asked me what it was that I wanted. And I asked if it mattered and they looked so sorry for me. And so they should have been. My Grandfather had all but signed and sealed my entire life, and I was willing to go right along with it, without making my own choices.

"I didn't know back as a Time Tot what I wanted, and I still don't know." Theta picked up a thripten nut and studied the cream coloured kernel, before closing his eyes. "But I do know what I don't want, and that's to be a politician."

The Corsair smiled, "Well, that's the first part of the battle, you've figured out what you _don't_ want. Now it's all down to figuring out what it is you _do_ want." He mentioned lightly.

Theta nodded, "Well, what I do want right now is to put a stop to that awful caterwauling going on on that stage over there," he downed the last of his ale. "C'mon, Koschei, let's go show them what real music is."

-:-:-:-

After some negotiation with the reluctant band, Koschei found himself behind a set of drums, and Theta had bequeathed a perigosto stick player of his well worn instrument.

Immediately breaking into Firebrand Tower's _Light-Speed Lovin' Man,_ the Junior Time Lords had the younger patrons of the pub on their feet and crowding around the stage.

All was going well for the two former members of the Gallifrey Academy _Hot Five_ , until one young Drylander woman jumped up on the stage and planted a lingering kiss on Theta's lips, triggering an outraged yell from the crowd.

" _Delpha_! You bloody bastard, that's my fiancée you're kissing!"

Pulling quickly away from the laughing, red haired young woman, Theta scrambled to untangle her arms from around his neck and managed to push her away, just in time to duck a fisted blow from the hulking Drylander, who was presumably Delpha's fiancé.

But then the shaggy-haired Drylander man flung himself at Theta, knocking the Junior Time Lord and his borrowed perigosto stick off the stage and into the crowd.

Koschei tossed aside his drumsticks with a furious yell and dove off the stage, flinging himself on the back of the disgruntled fiancé and forcing him back from Theta, who'd scrambled to his feet, gasping for air, observing the rest of the surrounding patrons also getting into brawls around him.

"Bori!" The red haired Drylander woman called out from the stage, and leapt onto Koschei's back, trying to pull him off of her fiancé, pounding at his shoulders. "You let go of him, you brute!"

Theta's moment of freedom was short lived, as the scuffling crowd pulled him back into the fray, he saw over his shoulder the looming figure of The Corsair getting right into the fights, three men trying to pull him down, and the bearded Time Lord laughing at their attempts.

 _Oh well_ , Theta thought idly, as he ducked a blow from an Drylander and landed his own defensive punch to his antagonist's swarthy face. _The worst they can do is stick us in an Drylander prison, right?_

-:-:-:-

Peering out of the front perspex wall of the clear, cubic prison cell that surrounded them, Koschei's expression would have been one of an even heavier frown, if the effort wouldn't have irritated his bruised face further.

"Why did we get carted off to a Citadel holding cell, if we committed a crime in Drylander territory?"

The Corsair shifted the cooling gel pack in his hand from his black eye to the bruise on his right cheek bone, "New laws have just been implemented. Time Lords are only to be held in custody in the Citadel." He explained.

Theta pulled the damp cloth away from his split lip, he also had quite the shiner on his right eye that had knocked him out cold on the _Gaudy Flubble_ floor. "Wonderful, isn't it? I'm so looking forward to my Grandfather's expression about this one." He half-chuckled, his bruised ribs only allowing so much mirth.

Koschei rolled his eyes, but also joined in his friend's chuckling, "Oh by Rassilon's beard," he walked over and sat down in the corner of the perspex cell next to Theta. "At least you got a kiss out of the whole experience, all that girl gave me was bruised shoulders…"

There was a beeping sound and the occupants of the holding cell looked over to see the metal door of the exit to the cell block slide across, and two guards step aside to reveal a frazzled, furious looking Borusa, who marched over to their holding cell and pointed his finger directly at his grandson.

"That a Grandson of mine! Not even your father, boy! Not ever your father with all his disreputable antics ever ended up in jail! A Grandson of mine…you…" Borusa's flaming blue gaze suddenly turned on The Corsair. " _You_! I should have known…thank Rassilon Flavia's never made you part of my family, Corsair!"

"And good evening to you too, Jurist Borusa." The Corsair sardonically responded.

Theta waved benignly at Borusa, "Hello Grandfather. Perseus is fine."

Borusa's features became so reddened, everyone else in the location were convinced that his head was going to explode. "Theta Sigma, I will find someone else to mind your vortisaur after hours, as you are now confined for the next year to the University grounds, unless you are under escort! As are you also, Koschei of Oakdown! And as for you, Corsair," Jurist Borusa's voiced lowered dangerously.

"Don't ever let me catch you around my Grandson, or any of my students, ever again."

Motioning to the guards, Borusa turned his back on the cell occupants and motioned to the guards, "I am responsible for Theta Sigma of Lungbarrow and Koschei of Oakdown. They will be released into my custody."

The Corsair got up and flopped down next to Theta, nudging him playfully, "How was all of this for a first grown-up adventure, lad? Same time next year?" He joked, and both Junior Time Lords joined in with his laughter, ignoring the glare through the perspex from their furious tutor.

-:-:-:-

Running his nimble right fingers along the riff board of his perigosto stick, Theta boredly strummed with his left hand along the strings. The young man's eyes were half-lidded as he sat beneath one of the ancient candonwood trees in the Time Lord Academy gardens, his outer robe carelessly tossed to the side, leaving him clad in his white under-shirt, untied at the neck, and dark scarlet pants, tucked into his favourite, well-worn, brown leather knee-high boots.

The silver leaves were slowly fluttering to the ground, as they did at certain times of the year, twirling and breezing around the humming Junior Time Lord. Theta had a break from classes and decided to take the few hours he had spare to think over things, while his perigosto stick was a thoughtful way to help pass the time.

Almost six months into his grounding after the Drylander Pub adventure, Theta had grudgingly –very grudgingly— obliged his grandfather by more or less applying himself to his studies. Although, with very little gusto, particularly in the more sociopolitical areas, in which Theta had been so pushed by Borusa, nearly all of his life.

" _As I lay strumming in the shade_ ," Theta sang, his eyes lifting to see up ahead a lone, feminine figure, dressed in Prydonian scarlet Junior medic robes, walking along the path a few feet in front of him, wearing a satchel slung across her shoulders.

Theta's eyes crinkled in the corners as he raised his voice." _As I lay strumming in the shade, there I spied a winsome maid…"_

The Junior Time Lady turned her dark-haired head to the side, her brown eyes regarding the smirking, fair-haired Junior Time Lord, carelessly plucking at a perigosto stick, with an amused expression, as the young man continued to sing in her direction.

"… _Eyes of brown and hair a darkened crown, aye, there I saw her, Melialeirionmoria_." Theta finished with a flourish and got to his feet with a bow, as the Junior Time Lady laughed at Theta's antics and applauded accordingly.

"Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all afternoon, avoiding any suggestion of furthering my education."

Melialeirionmoria sighed and shook her head, "Theta Sigma. I should have known." She cocked her head to the side, her hair pulled back in a simple, long, dark braid that fell down her back. "I've heard about your recent capers, young Junior Time Lord."

Theta raised his right eyebrow teasingly, "Oh?" He put down his perigosto stick and strolled over to meet Melialeirionmoria. The last time they'd been face-to-face, he'd only been a few inches taller than her, now he stood almost a head taller. Able to peer more keenly into those dark eyes, that were just as enthralling to Theta as when they'd met again over twenty years prior.

Melialeirionmoria wouldn't be intimated and straightened her stance, folding her arms across her chest and staring firmly up at the Junior Time Lord, "Yes I have. Brawling in an Drylander Pub with the notorious Corsair." She raised her own eyebrow. "My, how your grandfather must have been thrilled."

Humming in response, Theta folded his own arms. "I discovered not so long ago, my dear Melialeirionmoria, that someone gave me good advice around twenty years ago, that I should start to follow." He offered out a hand and Melialeirionmoria cautiously held out her own, the Junior Time Lord grasping it gently, looking down at the lightly tanned hand in his own with a soft smile.

"She said I needed to figure out what it was that _I_ wanted, not what my Grandfather, or anyone else, wanted of me." Theta raised his clear blue gaze back up to regard Melialeirionmoria, who was gazing back at him with a matching soft smile.

"I see. _She_ sounds like a very wise person." Melialeirionmoria's eyes danced merrily. "Would I happen to know this person?"

Theta chuckled, "Intimately," he grasped Melialeirionmoria's offered hand in both of his and raised her hand to his lips. "As I hope to do so myself, very soon." He placed a gentle kiss on the back of Melialeirionmoria's hand.

Melialeirionmoria let out a soft sigh and shook her head, "How very brazen of you, Theta Sigma," she murmured, as Theta stepped a little closer to the Junior Time Lady and bowed his head to her level.

"Thete. Just, Thete."

"Then you are just Thete," Melialeirionmoria smiled, lowering her gaze to look down at her right hand, still clasped in both of Theta's. "And I am just Melia."

Theta lifted the young woman's chin to match his gaze, "Then we can _just_ ify a stroll through the gardens, _just_ the two of us." He dropped her hand from his grasp and offered out his arm.

Melia laughed, "Very witty, my dear Junior Lord," she linked her arm through his, and Thete grinned widely, as he lead the dark haired young woman down the path.

"Only the best for you, my dear Junior Lady."

Strolling along the red-stone paved path, winding through the glass domed gardens, Melia glanced up at Theta with a playful frown, "Don't think this means I'm allowing any form of courting from you, Thete," she mildly commented.

With a raised brow, Theta looked down at the narrowed brown gaze of his female companion, "I think you made your feelings on that rather clear, the last time we saw outside of the Panopticon, Melia, twenty-one years ago." He responded just as matter-of-factually.

Melia brown eyes turned down to look at her dark scarlet boots, "Outside the Panopticon wasn't the last time I saw you that year, Thete," she cleared her throat. "I went to see you after you were hospitalised, following your accident in the Matrix."

Thete turned his head away from the Junior Time Lady on his arm, "Oh." He paused a moment, before turning his gaze back to Melia, who was regarding him with a solemn expression. "When did you see me? I mean…after I woke up, or when I was…?"

"It was the day after your accident," Melia replied softly, lowering her eyes again. "I felt so guilty. I could only watch you through the window, thrashing back and forth…screaming…" she tightened her grip on the Junior Time Lord's sinewy arm.

"I just couldn't bring myself to come and see you in the hospital after that, even after I'd heard you'd recovered. And I haven't been able to bring myself to find you at the Academy and apologise," Melia lent her head against Theta's arm.

"I never should have left you alone. Maybe I could have shaken you from whatever trance the Cloister Wraiths cast upon you."

Theta halted Melia and pulled her into a tight hug, startling the young woman, "Don't blame yourself any further, Melia. You could not have stood in their way, they wanted me down there, nothing would have stopped them," he lent his head atop Melia's, letting out a shuddering sigh.

"I couldn't bear the thought if I had hurt you in any way during my trance," Theta felt the Junior Time Lady relax in his embrace and lean against him, their binary heart beats combining in a rhythm of four. "I know you've said you won't let me court you, Melia, but," he pulled back and looked down at Melia's curious expression.

"I need you to know that what I said is true. I heard what you said back then, and I don't want to be a politician, and I don't know what it yet I really want to do with my life, but," Thete reached out and grabbed both of Melia's soft hands in his own, his blue gaze ardent.

"I do know who I want most in my life, to be a part of it, and you need to know that will always be you, Melia. I've known and lived with that knowledge for twenty-one years."

Melia tilted her head, "Thete…why didn't you try and find me after all this time, then, if you knew that you wanted to court me?" She questioned.

Thete smiled ruefully, "I've been worried, after what happened in The Matrix, that you wouldn't want to be courted by someone some claim to have been irreparably damaged mentally," he murmured, reaching over and tucking a stray strand of Melia's dark hair back behind her ear. "I'm almost certain your father may not be amused by myself as a potential son-in-law."

Melia sighed heavily and shook her head, "Oh Thete. You didn't listen to me all that well outside the Panopticon, did you? I couldn't care less what my father thinks," she reached up to brush back Thete's longish hair from his eyes. "Hmm, you wouldn't be responsible for this new trend of long hair some males are sporting around the Academy, are you?"

Thete put his arms around Melia's slender waist, "That depends," he bowed his head to the Junior Time Lady's level. "Do you like it?"

Melia smirked, "Very much. Now, kiss me, Theta Sigma, before I change my mind and decide future politicians with well-kept hair _are_ my type," she grabbed his shirt-front and pressed Theta's lips against her own.

Smiling around the soft press of Melia's lips, Theta deepened the kiss and Melia wrapped her arms about his neck.

The two were suddenly startled out of their moment by a series of giggles, and the young couple pulled out of their amorous embrace, to turn their heads to see a group of Time Tots watching them from the grassy lawn to their left. Standing behind the children was the Time Tot's fair haired Time Lady Mentor, who was eyeing Thete and Melia with half-amusement, and half-disapproval.

Glancing at one another, both Thete and Melia laughed loudly, and Melia grabbed Thete's hand, the two of them running off along the path, Thete calling back over his shoulder:

"Sorry to disturb your class, Mentor Thalia!"

Melia laughed even harder at Theta's antics as they ran through the gardens in search of somewhere more private, "Don't you have any shame, Theta Sigma?"

Grinning back down at the young woman, Theta shrugged, "It depends, you _could_ find out if you tell me I can court you, Melialeirionmoria," he brought up, slowing his pace before they both came to a halt.

Looking up at Theta with consideration, Melia mock-sighed dramatically, and reached up to tap the tip of Theta's nose with her finger. "Then you leave me with no choice," she rolled her eyes.

"What ever is my mother going to think of her only daughter, being courted by The Prydonian Academy's court jester?"

Thete put his arms around Melia's waist, "Well, for one, you can tell her you'll never be lacking for laughter," he leaned down and kissed Melia's lips quickly. "I will find what I'm meant to with my life, Melia. I can promise you, what ever it is, I'm going to do something worthwhile."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. The next chapter will be up soon.**


	4. IV

**IV**

* * *

 **B** orusa suspiciously side-eyed Koschei immediately as he strolled the Deca common room.

The aforementioned Junior Time Lord, wrapped in a crimson night-robe, was perched on a curved, dark orange plush chair, nearby to the artificial fire-pit in the middle of the sunken lounge. A large, Sol-3 tome was angled upon the left arm rest as Koschei lazily took a sip from the goblet of spiced Thrybien wine in his right hand, before turning a yellowed page of the book with his left.

"You should be in your quarters at this hour, Koschei." Borusa voiced pointedly.

Koschei looked calmly up at his friend's grandfather, looming above near the dark brown marble steps that lead down to the sunken lounge, with an agreeing nod of his head.

"I should, yes." Koschei went back to his book. "But Thete has gone all moony-eyed and chatty over some girl. I couldn't take much more of his prattling, so I came out here to read."

A raised eyebrow of surprise came from Borusa, "A girl?!" He exclaimed, louder than he intended, making Koschei raise his gaze up to smirk at the frazzled Jurist, before Borusa composed himself and cleared his throat. "Who is she?"

Shrugging, Koschei took another sip of his wine, "Go ask him yourself, Mentor Borusa. I'm all ready sick of her name." He glanced back down at his book to avoid the glare of his silver haired mentor.

Borusa growled, but didn't press the issue, and instead walked off to his right, towards where the Deca's sleeping quarters were located, heading straight to the location of the room his grandson shared with his best friend.

Pressing the door panel, as it slid across, Borusa observed Theta sitting in the middle of the floor upon the fine woven scarlet and orange rug, strumming his candonwood perigosto stick. Clad only in his dark scarlet sleep-pants, Borusa's fair-haired grandson cut an almost romantic figure as he hummed away to himself.

"Theta."

Pale blue eyes looked up with a sudden serious expression as Theta's musings were interrupted, "Yes, Grandfather?" He questioned breezily.

Borusa folded his arms. Not for the first time did he see Ulysses' first incarnation almost reborn in his youngest grandchild's almost fully grown features, but there was also a dreamy nature to Theta that was far removed from Ulysses serious practicality.

 _It's Sol-3 human to have such a personality..._

"Koschei tells me you all but drove him out of here, because you wouldn't stop talking about a girl?" Borusa finally managed to get out, watching as Theta put aside his perigosto stick and got to his feet.

"I swear he's turning into such a drama queen," Theta muttered, before readdressing his solemn grandfather. "I didn't drive Koschei out, Grandfather...at least not on purpose. I was just—"

Borusa held up his hand to halt his grandson mid-sentence, "Who is she?"

Exhaling, Theta folded his arms over his bare chest. "Melialeirionmoria."

Raising his eyebrows in surprise, Borusa leaned forward to look down at his slender grandson, "President Jostin's daughter?"

When Theta nodded in response, Borusa almost smiled, but instead cleared his throat and clasped his hands together.

"Good. Very good." Borusa replied, openly pleased. "Well done."

Theta blinked, "Pardon?" He questioned, as Borusa walked over to sit down at one of the desk chairs, looking over at his grandson as he folded his arms.

"Are you two courting, Theta?"

Hesitating a moment, the fair-haired Junior Time Lord finally nodded, "She agreed we could start." Theta admitted.

Borusa actually smiled, "Good. I'm proud of you, boy." He unfolded his arms and started drumming his fingers on the chair's armrests. "This could be quite the match. Excellent for your future career."

Theta pushed back his hair from his eyes, "We're still very young, Grandfather, and it's only courting. We won't be eligible for marriage for another few decades, not until we're both Time Lord ranked." He reminded his overly zealous grandparent, who nodded, clearly only half-listening.

"Yes, yes." Borusa was continuing to drum his thin fingers on the armrests. "A good influence...political advantages...I'd hoped something might come of you two meeting...however, after the accident I was beginning to have my doubts...but now." He looked over at Theta. "Well done, boy."

Half-lidding his eyes, Theta walked over to sit on the edge of his bed, "I'm glad I'm back on your good approval, Grandfather." He mentioned succinctly, as his grandfather got to his feet and walked towards the door.

"Yes, excellent work, Theta." Borusa was clearly too far gone in his own thoughts to pay any attention to the side-eyeing of his grandson. "I'm glad to see the disruptive events of twenty years ago have clearly past. You're back to working hard to achieve your career goals—"

Theta got to his feet, "That's not true, Grandfather." He interrupted his rambling grandparent and mentor, Borusa mildly turning his head to regard his scowling grandson. "I don't care about any 'career goals'. I like Melia. I like her very much."

Borusa shrugged, "It is good that you feel that way. It is better to choose your marriage partner on mutual feelings, rather than purely selfish reasons." He walked over and patted Theta's shoulder. "You just got lucky with this girl that you can have it both ways, didn't you, boy?"

Setting his jaw, Theta forced a smile, "I expect so." He managed between clenched teeth, at this point willing to agree on anything for Borusa to depart his sleeping quarters.

"Of course it is so." Borusa turned on his heel. "I expect I'll be hearing from President Jostin sometime soon. We can begin to start laying the plans for your future with his daughter...perhaps I'll contact him tomorrow morning to arrange a suitable gathering for us to cement these plans." He stepped out of the open door and looked back at Theta.

"You have made some valuable steps in redeeming our family's name and place in our society, Theta, both politically and socially. I am very proud of you."

Theta inclined his head as Borusa breezed his way down the hallway, then shook his head and scowled as he heard chuckling from behind him. Glancing over his shoulder, Theta observed Koschei leaning against the wall behind him, his large tome tucked under his arm and a wide smirk on his face.

"I take it old Borusa was thrilled with the news, then?" Koschei commented with a further laugh at Theta's eye-roll.

"And I suppose I have you to thank for dropping the news to him in the first place?" Theta responded sardonically, as Koschei breezed past his room-mate into their room.

"You're very welcome, best friend." Koschei replied. "It looks like things are finally get a lot more interesting around here for you..." he dumped his book down on a desk and looked over at Theta, who was leaning against the door-frame and rubbing his eyes with a groan, with a devious grin.

"...and at the very least they're bound to be far more amusing for the rest of us."

-:-:-:-

Standing outside of the Presidential apartments in the Citadel at twilight, three days after the arrangements were made to discuss Theta and Melia's courting, Borusa, dressed impeccably in his best scarlet and orange robes of state and skullcap (but minus the collar.) was adjusting his grandson's half-cloak with a sigh.

Theta was dressed to match the scarlet and orange of his grandfather, his scarlet breeches, knee-high dark brown boots and cream coloured shirt (laced at the top.) was matched by a dark orange half-cloak, (that Borusa was currently fussing with,) embroidered with a metallic scarlet around the edges, and subtly flocked with the symbol of Rassilon in a lighter orange.

His hair neatly braided back in a single braid at the nape of his neck, Theta kept a calm expression as Borusa finished fussing with the cape and looked him over.

"You do look so much like your father when he was your age," Borusa muttered, before clearing his throat. "All right. Straighten your shoulders, and keep silent until spoken to for a change, Theta. Remember what we talked about earlier. There are certain things that are always discussed between Time Lord families in order to allow couples to court one another, especially between us Prydonians."

Theta inclined his head, "Yes, Grandfather." He concurred, thinking that the usually benign expression Borusa usually wore in these situations seemed slightly askew, looking subtly more nervous than he would ever let on to his grandson.

Reaching over to press the visitor announcing panel, Borusa then took a step back to stand next to his grandson as the door slid across after a moment, revealing President Jostin, (dressed in his white presidential robes) his wife Lady Ambrosia, (dressed in a fitted, light scarlet jumpsuit with darker scarlet edging,) and, standing slightly behind them, Melia.

Dressed in an ankle-length, short-sleeved gown of silky satin fabric in scarlet, with a band of dark orange around Melia's slender waist, her dark hair was braided around her head like a crown, and dotted with tiny golden orbs.

Melia's kohl lined eyes crinkled in the corners and her coral coloured lips turned up in a slight smirk when she saw the way Theta was staring over at her while Borusa, Jostin and Ambrosia formally greeted one another. And then Melia's smirk turned to a full blow silent laugh when her father cleared his throat, causing Theta to jump to attention and look up at him.

"How goes your day, Junior Time Lord Theta Sigma?" Jostin offered out his right hand and the younger man clasped his upper arm in greeting.

"Well and fine, as I hope both your day is today, and the night may do so as well." Theta responded with an incline of his head, before releasing Jostin's grasp and turning to incline his head to Lady Ambrosia, a light-brown haired, green-eyed, almost replica of her daughter, and taking her hand to kiss it. "And further greetings of the same to you, Lady Ambrosia."

Ambrosia flashed a smile, "And you as well, young Junior Time Lord." She offered out her arm. "Escort me to the dining room and we can talk some more." Ambrosia caught Theta's subtle eye movements across to Melia and chuckled. "I promise my daughter is going no where. Come and talk to your potential future mother-in-law, young man."

Theta flushed a little, but duly linked his arm through Ambrosia's and let the Time Lady glide him along the polished wooden floor of the entrance hallway, the rest of their party following behind them.

"So, Theta Sigma," Ambrosia patted the arm Theta had linked with her own. "We've been hearing quite the stories about you lately, young man. They're quite in contrast to the tales we'd previously heard about you being a serious, well behaved Time Youth." She mentioned conversely, her green eyes curious as she looked up at the Junior Time Lord, Theta looking slightly a taken back.

"Well, Lady Ambrosia—" Theta began, glancing back over at Melia, who looked over at her father for assistance.

"Honestly Ambrosia," Jostin interrupted his wife mildly, as he sided up beside Theta and rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Theta's a young man in his last years at the Academy now. Being a little more adventurous than his peers just shows he has greater strength of character."

Ambrosia pursed her lips slightly, "I would agree in any other circumstances, Jostin, but if I remember Lord Ulysses was an adventurous one, and that only ended—"

"Ah, but my dear Ambrosia," Jostin intervened, stepping around and resting his hand on Ambrosia's free arm. "Theta Sigma barely knew his father, and I've got it on good authority been raised much more strictly by Jurist Borusa."

Borusa inclined his head as Ambrosia looked around to regard the middle-aged Time Lord, "You may hear this from the very source, Lady Ambrosia. I took not only much stricter liberties with Theta's raising than with his father's upbringing, I have also gone out of my way to oversee all of his studies as well. You may be confident in that Theta is nothing like his father."

Ambrosia nodded, turning back and patting Theta's arm again as she looked up at him. "Well, he obviously got his parents good looks at the very least. It does a potential mother-in-law good to see her grand-Time Tots could get those lovely blue eyes." She continued to lead Theta along into the dining room.

"Now we've gotten that out of the way, we'll no longer talk on the subject. Let us sit down and discuss a much more pleasant subject, these two young things beginning their courting."

The black, glossy, panelled walled dinning room, containing the long, stark white marble rectangle table in the centre, paired with high-backed matching chairs in marble with soft black cushioning, bore witness to Borusa of Lungbarrow, and Jostin and Ambrosia of Fordfarding laying out the courting plans for their youngest grandson and only daughter respectively.

Sitting on opposite sides of the table, seated beside their respective guardians, Theta stole a quick glance over Melia and flashed her a small smile, before rolling his eyes. Melia matched his smile and eye roll, as they both turned to look over at their guardians continuing to lay out their plans.

"...they're both still very young, so any plans for marriage will not be for at least three to four decades, of course." Jostin proclaimed firmly. "I won't have my daughter being burdened with any family responsibilities before she's established her career, and I would not wish that upon Theta Sigma either. Regardless of the little contact they will have with their Time Tots, the first eight years are vital."

Borusa inclined his head, "Naturally so. We must strive to continue the traditions of our proud culture. I concur on all points." He tapped the hologram document in front of them. Ambrosia regarded Theta across the table with a careful expression.

"While we're on the subject of the continuing of our family lineage. The Fordfardings have always been opposed to Looming, as we've seen it cause many problems, both physically and mentally." Jostin continued further.

"We would rather Melia remain without progeny, as you are no doubt aware, Looming has been made illegal under my presidential reign as a point. Any Time Tots will have to be incubated in the artificial wombs, as our Time Lord ancestors have done for the past few millenniums."

Borusa inclined his head, "Naturally. You don't have to worry about that from our side of the Lungbarrow family. My parental and maternal lineage, and my children's maternal lineage also, is without the blemish of Looming. Only several of my paternal cousins were selfish enough to indulge in such activities."

Ambrosia remained with her piercing green gaze on Theta, "What of the boy's maternal lineage? I've heard several scandalous suggestions over the years?" She tilted her head as she regarded Borusa.

Melia looked over and raised her eyebrows at Theta, who grimaced slightly and lowered his gaze. This was a subject rarely broached by anyone outside of the Lungbarrow house, out of politeness or something akin to morbid curiosity unvoiced.

Borusa shook his head, "Nothing scandalous at all. Lady Plelais, the mother of my eldest grandson, Irving Braxiatel, was also Theta's mother. Plelais and Ulysses had a fetus prepared before her untimely passing. And thus Theta was incubated a few decades later." He explained smoothly.

Ambrosia smiled sympathetically over at the plain faced Theta, "I apologise from bringing up such a sensitive subject, Theta Sigma. Raised without a mother and an exiled father, you are fortunate to have such a grandfather who has taken such diligent care of you."

Theta inclined his head, "I'm very grateful, Lady Ambrosia." He responded automatically, now knowing how far his grandfather had planned for further events was evident in the lies he was spinning about his maternal lineage...and he wasn't sure how well these lies sat with him.

Jostin cleared his throat, "Well, we have a few more things to work out here, but I have no doubt the children are feeling stifled. Melia, take young Theta Sigma for a stroll around the gardens will you?" He suggested kindly.

Melia got to her feet and smiled at her father, moving around to the other side of the table to offer out her hand, "Come along, Thete," she encouraged. Theta took Melia's offered hand and stood up, wordlessly allowing the young woman to escort him out of the dining room as his thoughts continued to trouble him.

-:-:-:-

Later that evening, back in the Deca quarters of the Prydonian chapter of the Time Lord Academy, Theta, clad now only in his scarlet coloured sleep-pants, lay back on his single bed, staring up at the coloured photograph he held just above his narrowed blue eyes.

 _What Grandfather said...I know he was making sure that the courtship could go ahead...and no one outside of the family should know...would ever know…_

"Who are they?"

Almost jumping out of his skin, Theta sat up and looked up at where Koschei was standing over him, tomes tucked under his left arm, looking down at the Sol-3 photograph curiously in his friend's grasp.

"Is that a Sol-3….what do they call it...photographic print?" Koschei lent closer and Theta cleared his throat.

"Yes. You can't tell Borusa. Irving smuggled it to me when I was in the hospital after...well...twenty years ago." Theta offered out the photograph to Koschei, who took it, looking down at it curiously. "It's my father."

Koschei lifted up his gaze with surprise, "Really? He's regenerated then." He looked back down at the photograph. "I had heard that regeneration is forced upon exiles. Who is the female next to him?"

Theta cleared his throat, "A work colleague. He's teaching at a university on Earth—Sol-3, according to Irving." He took back the photograph and Koschei raised a dark eyebrow.

"I see. The woman in the image wouldn't be a human mate he's taken in his exile, would she?" Koschei suggested, walking over and sitting down at a chair at one of the desks, tossing his pile of books onto the desk carelessly.

Shrugging, Theta slid the photograph back in his copy of _The Time Machine_ , "I wouldn't know, and Irving didn't say," he mumbled out the lie.

Koschei yawned, "Well, humans look Time Lord at the very least. But the thought is still a very strange one, they're only one step up from their primordial ooze, compared with us, in almost all other respects." He said dismissively. "Fascinating to watch develop, though. I suppose your father's okay amongst them, being an anthropologist."

Theta shrugged again and turned around, "I expect so. I'm going to sleep. It's been a long day." He managed, not wanting to continue this conversation with Koschei that was starting to irritate him in a way Theta hadn't really thought about before...or at least since he had been a young Time Tot.

"Of course. How did meeting the parents go, Thete?" Koschei inquired boredly, turning around and opening up one of the books on his desk. "Fascinating political drivel, mixed in with discussion on how big of a residence you two love flubbles are going to need to raise your future little politicians?"

Theta rolled back over to glare at Koschei's back, "You know I'm not going into politics, Koschei. As I told you and The Corsair so a month ago at the Drylander pub."

Koschei glanced over his shoulder, "You say as much, then you're making plans to court the President of Gallifrey's daughter." He turned back to his book. "Face it, Thete, you've gone and dug yourself back into a hole, precisely where you grandfather wanted you in the first place. Now, instead of one authority figure trying to control your future, you're going to have _two_."

Theta pressed his face into his pillow, "It's not like that." His voice was muffled. "Melia knows that I don't want to go into politics, and she says she'll stay beside me, regardless of what I choose to do."

Koschei chuckled, "You must really like this Junior Time Lady to go though all this, don't you? And likewise for her." He mentioned conversely. "It must be nice to have someone to stand and face the world with...we were like that, once."

"Yes," Theta lifted up his head from his pillow. "When we were Time Tots. We've all go to grow up sometime, Koschei." He smiled. "It still doesn't stop you from being my best friend."

Glancing over his shoulder, Koschei sighed deeply, "Don't get overly sentimental on me, Thete. You're not married yet...Hell, we haven't even managed to graduate out of this tedious place either." He pointed out dryly, closing his book with a shake of his head. "Let the future figure it all out."

-:-:-:-

"Melia, this is crazy."

Turning her hooded gaze to the side, Melia looked up at her wary, paternal first cousin.

Rayaperseplia was almost the direct opposite of Melia. Taller by at least five inches, dark-blonde haired and pale, but with the same dark brown eyes, and their hair was both worn in simple braids down their back. Rayaperseplia personality, also, was almost the direct opposite of cousin, restrained where Melia went in head first, cautious as opposed to bold. The only thing the same aged cousins, (raised together practically like sisters,) had in common most of the time was a shared sense of humour.

Something Rayaperseplia was sorely lacking that night, as they had sneaked out into the open, red-grassed fields outside of the Prydonian chapter of the Time Lord Academy, quietly bemoaning the events that had lead to this moment.

"Sneaking out to meet your boyfriend, and what's left of the Deca, at a bonfire party, in the middle of a field, in the middle of the night? Why did I agree to come along?"

Melia wrapped her arm around her cousin's thin shoulders, "Raya, you couldn't let me go alone. You're my cousin _and_ my best friend, you couldn't let me march out at this time of night all by myself." She pointed out. "Besides, you haven't met Theta yet, really. You'll like him, won't you?"

Raya furrowed her brow as they continued to stroll along, " _You_ certainly seem to like him very much, so I'll try my best." She sighed. "I was with you when you went to see him in the hospital after the Cloister incident, remember? You were a mess. I even knew back then, if he recovered, there was a chance of Theta Sigma being your intended."

Melia smiled, "You think we suit each other, Raya?"

"I have to meet Theta Sigma in person to make a full assessment, but you've been so happy since the courtship announcement, I'm guessing that it's so." Raya admitted primly, her expression mildly concerned. "I wonder, though, if the poor thing knows what he's gotten himself into."

"Raya!" Melia nudged her cousin with mock outrage, the two of them giggling as they walked along the tall grass lined path, looking up ahead they saw a slender figure in Prydonian Academy robes, holding a glow-rod in his left hand. Theta grinned as he went rushing towards the two Junior Time Ladies.

"Hello, hello!" Theta greeted, putting the arm clutching the glow-rod around Melia's shoulders, he kissed the top of her head, before holding out his free hand to Raya. "And you must be Rayaperseplia."

Raya took Theta's hand with a smile and a nod of her head, "I am. It's nice to meet you again after all this time." She replied simply.

Theta inclined his head as he dropped Raya's hand, "Thank you for coming with Melia. The party's just up ahead," He offered out his arms and the two Junior Time Ladies linked their arms through Theta's, the Junior Time Lord clearing his throat.

"Melia tells me you're studying universal anthropology, Rayaperseplia."

"Yes." Raya replied. "Your father's genius in this area is still highly regarded, despite his exile. You never had any interest in pursuing the subject yourself, Theta Sigma?"

Melia glanced up to see Theta pursing his lips.

"Only in passing. I never had the opportunity to know my father well enough to feel otherwise about his work, Rayaperseplia. And please, call me Thete." Theta added with slightly more lightness.

Raya inwardly cringed, "Of course. I apologise, Thete. Please call me Raya." She amended.

Theta shrugged his shoulders, "It's all right, Raya. I like hearing people mention my father in a good light," he smiled broadly. "He did a lot of respectable things in the biological science world, and I'm glad his contributions are still regarded highly."

Nodding, Raya smiled in return, "You're a very kind young man. If you don't mind me saying so, I'm sure your father is proud of you, wherever he is."

Theta inclined his head, "I hope so." He raised an eyebrow. "Do you always talk so formally, even around peers, Raya?" He grinned. "Relax, we'll be family soon. I'm going to need all the allies I can get in your family."

Raya actually let out a small laugh, which made Melia laugh in turn, "You're quite wicked, Thete. My Aunt has been bragging about you to both sides of the family. You know how my father and Melia's are twins, and then married twin sisters. Almost all of our family are making plans to meet you."

Melia poked her boyfriend's side, "And we have a _lot_ of family." She added.

Raya nodded, "We sure do. Twins are very common in our family...and _your_ father was a twin too, wasn't he?" She chuckled. "It looks like I could be getting another set of twin cousins at this rate."

Theta flushed slightly, "Possibly...I mean, we all came out as only Time Tots, but those odds," he looked stunned. "I hadn't thought about that..."

Melia laughed, "Thete, when we have Time Tots, they're going to have you wrapped around their fingers from day one." She looked over at Raya. "You should see him with the Time Tots from the primary chapter, they climb all over him like he's a candonwood tree."

Theta grinned and shrugged at the young women's laughter as they reached the crackling bonfire, where several of Theta's Deca alumni were pouring out tumblers of Ulterianan wine from a casket and making small talk. They glanced over at the approaching trio of Theta, Melia, and Raya, with interest.

"So you've finally brought your courting partner around, Thete." Magnus commented with a raised brow, then gave a sigh of indifference as he took a sip of wine. "Trust you to pick the President's daughter."

Jelpax punched Magnus' shoulder halfheartedly, and strolled over with Vansell and Drax in tow. "How do you do? I'm Jelpax, this is Drax, Vansell...and the grump by the wine casket is Magnus."

Melia inclined her head, "I'm Melia, and this is my cousin, Raya." She motioned to her cousin, Raya smiling in greeting.

Theta looked around, "Where's Koschei?"

Vansell thumbed behind them in the direction of a faded red, large cloth tent assembled off to the side of the bonfire, "He had enough of Magnus and went to go sulk in the tent with that big old tome he carries around with him everywhere lately."

Theta took Melia's hand in his own and headed towards the tent, Raya tailing behind them, ignoring the smirking expression Magnus threw her with an indignant frown, as she followed behind her cousin and intended towards the dimly lit tent.

Pushing aside the door panel, Theta strolled inside and marched over to his sulking, dark haired best friend, who was curled up in the corner of the tent with his favoured old tome, as was usually the case, clutched in his hands and his head hidden behind.

"Koschei! Get your big old head out of that book and come and meet my intended and her cousin." Theta encouraged boisterously as he marched across to stand over his room-mate, Melia's hand still firmly in his own as she stood beside him. Raya moved a little further into the tend and stood just behind her cousin and her intended.

Pulling down his book, Koschei looked up at the two Junior Time Lords looking down at him with a sigh, "Excuse my rudeness, Lady Melialeirionmoria." He got to his feet and offered out his hand. "Koschei of Oakdown. May I call you Melia?"

Melia smiled and inclined her head as she took his offered hand, Koschei kissed Melia's hand with well practised charm. "You may, Koschei. It's nice to finally meet you again."

Koschei smiled indulgently, "You as well, Melia. You're almost all Theta ever talks about," he lent forward. "I'm glad to see his foolish giddiness is not unfounded, you're quite obviously everything he brags about."

Melia laughed as Theta playfully punched Koschei's shoulder, "Oh I am, am I?" She glanced behind her and stepped aside to motion Raya forward. "Koschei, this is my cousin, Lady Rayaperseplia."

"How do you do?" Raya offered out her hand. "Everyone calls me Raya, if you'd prefer."

Koschei raised his eyebrows in a friendly manner as he took Raya's offered hand, "I very much do." He flashed a very wide smile. "The beauty of Fordfarding women seems firmly founded in truth. I've also heard your accomplishments are equally grand. What are you studying again, Raya?"

Raya blinked her eyes in surprise at Koschei's forwardness, as Theta hid a grin behind his hand and glanced aside at Melia, who looked back at him with an equally sneaky expression. "I'm currently studying universal anthropology." Raya revealed.

Koschei clasped his hands in the small of his back, "Oh. I happen to minor in universal anthropology. What do you think about Ulysses' theory of the origin of the Eternals?" He brought up. "Do you think they really exist, or, like the Guardians are no more than hearsay and myth?"

Raya shook her head, "I think we have to look beyond what we establish as universal truths, as Ulysses noted in his last published work. I believe all myth and legends have their basis in truth, however radical those truths might be."

Koschei nodded, "Oh quite so. Have you indulged in any discussions about the Great Vampire wars recently in your classes? The interference of Eternals is inferred in several texts, I believe."

"Oh yes," Raya began. "I believe it was Rassilon himself that..."

Theta inclined his head towards the tent door and Melia nodded, the two of them departing the tent, glancing back over at Koschei and Raya continuing their animated discussion on Eternals with amused expressions.

"I told you those two would suit each other," Melia pointed out, nudging her intended with her right elbow, as they walked back over to the bonfire. "Raya can be so serious sometimes and close herself off, but is so kind and playful once you get to know her, and when you said Koschei was just the same." She grinned. "You could end up as cousins-in-law."

Theta nodded, "I'd like that. You're quite the matchmaker, my dear." He sighed. "It would work out well, wouldn't it? Koschei and I have always been close. If he and Raya do hit it off, we would _always_ be close. Our Time Tots could run together across the red grass fields of Oakdown, as Koschei and I used to."

Melia put Theta's arm around her shoulder and lent against his chest as they walked, "You speak so well and passionately." She murmured. "I know politics is not what you want, Thete, but—"

Theta's body stiffened, remembering Koschei's words from the previous night. _"...you've gone and dug yourself back into a hole, precisely where you grandfather wanted you in the first place..."_

"But what?" Theta interrupted in a low voice as he stopped mid-step.

Catching his tone, Melia looked up in surprise, "I...Thete. I just meant you speak so well. Perhaps you'd make a good mentor at the Academy, guiding young minds. Perhaps at the junior level, or the primary level, since Time Tots are so drawn to you." She explained.

Theta's expression changed, "Oh." He hugged Melia. "I'm sorry, it's just the pressure from Borusa, and then perhaps your father—"

"Theta Sigma!" Magnus' voice interrupted in a booming tone, his shadowy figure outlined by the light of the bonfire as he pointed over at his fellow Deca member. "You've been missing out on the games. Get over here!"

Sighing, Theta pulled away from Melia, and the two of them walked over to Magnus.

"Here I am, Magnus." Theta opened up his arms. "What game have you got for me?"

Magnus smirked and began circling the shorter Junior Time Lord. "You know, Theta, something that hasn't been attempted for quite a long time is what I have in mind." He halted and looked down smugly at Theta with a wide smirk. "You like a challenge, don't you? You've turned into quite the daredevil rebel lately."

Theta narrowed his eyes, "What are you contemplating, Magnus?"

Leaning forward so they were only an inch apart, Magnus' smirk grew even wider as he announced his challenge, "Eighth-Man-Bound."

Melia took in a sharp breath, "No!" She grabbed Theta's arm. "Theta Sigma don't you dare take him up on this."

Looking down contemplatively at his intended, Theta raised a fair eyebrow, "He has a point, Melia." He set his jaw confidently. "I can break the record. I take your dare, Magnus."

"What?" Melia let go of Theta's arm and stepped in front of him. "I can't let you do this. Why would you—?"

Theta rested his hands on Melia's shoulders, "Because I can do this, Melia. I'll be fine. I'm going to break the record, I know I can." He smiled deviously. "Won't Borusa be impressed?"

Melia shook her head, "You could hurt yourself...it hasn't been so long since the Cloisters, how can you think of doing something so foolish?" She grabbed his hands. "Don't do this!"

Shaking his head, Theta pulled away from Melia. "I'm going to do this because I _can_. How many times do I have to say it? Let's get started, Magnus." He sat down tailor style on the ground, pushing up his sleeves as Magnus sat down facing him in the same pose.

Jelpax lent down to Melia's ear level with a concerned expression, "Go get Koschei. If he won't listen to you, Koschei might be the only other person he would. Drax and I will try to talk Theta out of it while you're gone." He suggested in a low whisper.

Melia glanced up at Jelpax with an expression of thanks, before turning on her heel and rushing back towards the red fabric tent as fast as her booted feet could carry her. "Idiot, idiot, _idiot_." She muttered under her breath in worry. "He can't—he mustn't...by Rassilon…!"

Pushing aside the fabric panel, Melia burst in on her cousin and Koschei still conversing, but having switched to reclining on the woven carpets scattered over the ground and drinking goblets of wine.

"Why Melia, what's—" Raya began.

Melia lunged towards Koschei and grabbed his arm, "Quickly! Come with me now!" She interrupted her shocked cousin. "There's no time, please hurry."

Koschei got to his feet, "What is it?" He questioned quickly, noting the panic all over the dark haired Junior Time Lady's flushed features.

"Hurry, you have to stop Theta!" Melia explained. "Magnus has goaded him into playing Eighth-Man-Bound, and Thete's agreed to do it!"

"What?!" Koschei exclamation was breathy as he grabbing Melia's upper arms in surprise.

"They're all ready in position. Please, come with me, we have to try and stop this!" Melia pulled Koschei along as she ran out of the tent, Ray quickly following their racing steps back down the path to the bonfire.

As the trio reached the bonfire area, Drax and Jelpax met them.

"We've been trying, but nothing will get through to either one of them." Drax admitted with a helpless shrug.

Koschei marched right over to Theta and Magnus with a snarl, before he lunged at Magnus and grabbed his robe front, pulling him to his feet, "Magnus you bloody, conniving bastard—!"

Magnus laughed up at Koschei, "It's too late." He inclined his head to Theta, who's eyes were firmly shut, a radiant golden glow beginning to encapsulate the Junior Time Lord. "He's all ready in the trance. It's all ready begun."

"No!" Melia exclaimed, flinging herself forward, only to be held back by Jelpax and Raya.

Raya shook her head at her struggling cousin, "You can't. He's surrounded by regeneration energy. You know the radiation would harm anyone who try to touch him." She explained quietly, but firmly.

Magnus nodded, "She's right, Melia. Have confidence in your intended, he needs your support." He straightened his robes as he pulled away from the glowering Koschei. "And mind yourself, all of you, since my voice is the only one that can end Theta's trance."

"Do it then." Koschei growled. "Do it _now_."

Magnus shrugged and lent down to Theta's level, while keeping half-a-foot distance. "First regeneration, Second incarnation." He began, everyone cried out in dismay.

"I swear to Rassilon, I am going to kill you, Magnus!" Koschei exclaimed.

Pointing at Theta, Magnus smirked. "He's in my power. Did you not hear me, Theta Sigma? First regeneration, now."

Theta turned his head upwards to regard Magnus, his eyes remaining shut. "I see...will I actually grow that old…? There's a light…then dark hair...recorder..." his expression twisted, his voice different. "...oh my giddy Aunt…!"

Magnus cleared his throat, "Second regeneration, Third incarnation." He continued blithely.

"Stop it!" Melia demanded.

"The High Council is upset...you can't just...what are you doing...tall, grey haired...sharp nose...shoes..." Theta let out a quiet breath, "...where there's life, there's..." He halted his talking and Melia took a step forward towards Magnus.

"I won't let you do this!" Melia grabbed a hold of Magnus arm and shook him. "Stop this right now!"

Magnus shook his head firmly, "I couldn't if I wanted to now. Look," he pointed at the still glowing Theta. "He's not come out of the trance himself. I have to continue until he brings himself out now. The shock otherwise could kill him on the spot."

Melia felt faint as fear began to drain the colour from her features, "Do it then." She whispered in painful resolve as she let go of Magnus. "Continue."

Magnus inclined his head, "Third regeneration, Fourth incarnation."

Theta let out a deep laugh, startling the gather group and even shocking Koschei out of his nervous pacing. "Curly brown hair...quite tall again...the nose is a definite improvement...it's the end, but the moment has been prepared for..." he breathed out hard again and his head slumped forward, but Theta's eyes remained shut.

Raya rested her hand on Melia's shoulder comfortingly as Magnus pushed back his hair from his forehead, even he looked hesitant as he continued. "Fourth regeneration, Fifth Incarnation."

Theta's head straightened and he looked solemn, "Blond again...youthful...that's the problem with regeneration, you never know what...different this time..." he shook his head, the group of Junior Time Lords collectively wondering if this was last from Theta's words.

"Fifth regeneration, Sixth incarnation." Magnus intoned cautiously.

Theta smirked, "Blond again...curly though...change my dear, and not a moment..." he sat up straighter, pointing a finger. "...corrupt!...carrot juice..." Theta groaned as he threw his head back, making Koschei clench his nails harder into his palms in frustration.

Raya lent her head on Melia's shoulder, deliberately obscuring her vision of Theta twisting in pain, her slightly older cousin stood firmly with her eyes fixed her her intended, silently pleading him to come out of this horrific experience unscathed and soon.

Even Magnus had the good graces to look guilty as he cleared his throat, "Sixth regeneration, Seventh incarnation."

Theta's head snapped forward again, a smirk on his face. "Sly...shorter...dark haired...Oh that was a nice nap...I gotta stop him!" He exclaimed, his legs slipping out from his tailor position as he jumped to his feet.

Magnus took several steps back out of unvoiced apprehension, "Seventh regeneration, Eighth incarnation." The Junior Time Lord shook his head as he added in a low whisper: "Eighth-Man-Bound."

Melia clung to her cousin tightly as she watched her intended spread out his arms.

"I...I can't see my own face...who am I?!" Theta shook his fair haired head in frustration. "Who am I?!" He yelled, the glow fading away from his form and he collapsed on the ground. Theta's eyes snapped open as he looked up at the sky. "Stars..." he whispered, before his eyes sealed tight again and he breathed out.

"...Melia..."

Letting out a cry of relief, Melia raced to Theta's side and pulled his prone form to her, resting his head upon her lap she glared up at the rest of the group as they came closer. "Call the medics! Bring the medics!" She rested her head against Theta's sweating brow.

Jelpax shook his head, "It's too risky, his breathing is all ready laboured," he sighed. "Quickly, we'll have to carry him back and get him into the infirmary immediately."

Rushing to Theta's side, Koschei shouldered his prone best friend and looked gratefully over as Jelpax took Theta's other arm, but the dark haired Junior Time Lord snarled as Magnus stepped forward.

"Don't you even think about—"

Drax shook his head as he interrupted, "Koschei, we'll need his strength so we can hurry back with Thete faster." He intervened quickly.

Koschei narrowed his eyes and turned his head away with an angry glare.

The Decca hoisted up their unconscious comrade, Drax and Magnus grabbing Theta's legs, and Koschei and Jelpax draping Theta's arms around their necks as they set off at a quick pace, trying not to jostle Theta too much.

Raya and Melia rushed behind the male Junior Time Lords, Melia fighting back hot tears of worry as they sped across the red grassy planes.

 _Theta Sigma, I know there's something you're hiding from me that makes you so damn reckless...and by Rassilon you will regain your consciousness and tell me what it is!_

 _[hr]_

 **Thank you for reading. The next chapter will be along soon.**


End file.
